New Zealand and Australia refuse Candace Owens visa for upcoming speaking tour

New Zealand has denied a visa application from conservative media personality Candace Owens, who had a speaking tour scheduled in cities in New Zealand and Australia for February and March of 2025. Owens’ “Entertainers Work Visa” was denied on Nov. 19, citing a rule that bars applicants from receiving a visa if they have been excluded from another country. Owens had previously been barred from Australia in October due to concerns that she could incite discord through her rhetoric, which includes spreading antisemitic rhetoric, including Holocaust denial and revisionism. Owens has vowed to appeal Australia’s decision and has accused the country of denying her visa before she had even applied. Owens has also faced other challenges recently, including being suspended from the YouTube Partner Program in September for violating ad-friendly and community guidelines. She responded to the denial of her visa in a YouTube video, accusing officials of lying and leaking the decision to the press in an attempt to portray her as a scary figure akin to Adolf Hitler. The decision has sparked controversy and debate around freedom of speech and the regulation of controversial views in the media.

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