Proud Boys ‘gang’ leader Gavin McInnes banned from Australia
Gavin McInnes and his international Proud Boys group openly refer to themselves as "western chauvinists". Photo: Getty
Right-wing provocateur and founder of the Proud Boys group Gavin McInnes has had his visa application blocked by the Home Affairs Department, failing the character test to enter Australia.
Critics of Mr McInnes were urging the department and Immigration Minister David Coleman to ban him from travelling to Australia for a speaking tour next year, concerned about his extreme views and promotion of violence.
The ABC understands Mr McInnes was notified a few weeks ago that the department was likely to block his visa application because he was judged to be of bad character, and the formal window for him to appeal closed today.
Mr McInnes cut ties with the Proud Boys group earlier this month. The group, which Mr McInnes has previously labelled a “gang”, describes itself as a men’s organisation, committed to upholding “Western chauvinist values”.
The FBI designated them as an extremist organisation.
Yesterday, a petition of 81,000 signatures was delivered to Federal Parliament calling on the Government to block Mr McInnes from entering the country.
Petition organiser Nyadol Nyuon, upon hearing the news that Mr McInnes had been denied a visa, offered “credit and thanks” to the Immigration Minister.
Here's Gavin McInnes brandishing a sword in front of NYPD officers:
(after giving a speech at NY Repub Club praising a far-right extremist who stabbed the leader of the Japanese Socialist Party on live television — with a sword) pic.twitter.com/5jGIrKvGYD— BLOOP! (@susiemcdonnell) October 14, 2018
Ms Nyuon was joined by Indigenous leader Marcia Langton, community activists, lawyers and Labor MPs in delivering the petition to Parliament House.
Mr McInnes and UK activist Tommy Robinson were due to tour their The Deplorables speaking tour to Australia in February.
The tour of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and the Gold Coast was scheduled for December, but had been delayed.
The ABC is unaware of the visa status of Mr Robinson.
The Proud Boys list their values as including being against political correctness, racial guilt and racism, while promoting free speech and gun rights.
But they have been widely criticised as promoting violence against people who do not share their views.
