Milo Yiannopoulos ‘banned’ from Australia ‘on character grounds’
Milo Yiannopoulos will be the grand marshal of the “straight pride” parade. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty)
Milo Yiannopoulos has reportedly been banned from Australia after the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) denied him a visa.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Yiannopoulos’ visa was denied this week “on character grounds,” and the DHA has given Yiannopoulos 28 days to challenge the ban.
The DHA did not confirm nor deny that Yiannopoulos has been denied a visa.
“Any application lodged with the department by visitors who may hold controversial views will be considered, balancing any risk they may pose with Australia’s well-established freedom of speech and freedom of beliefs,” a DHA spokesperson said, according to SBS News.
Pauline Hanson, the founder of Australia’s One Nation Party, quickly leapt to Yiannopoulos’ defence after the news broke.
The controversial anti-gay politician tweeted on Wednesday (March 6): “Spineless Morrison Government made a big mistake banning Yiannopoulos.”
Hanson went on the warn the move could incite violence, and blamed Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Pauline Hanson has defended Milo after his visa was denied by the Australian government. (Patrick Riviere/Getty)
“This will lead to more violence!” she said, “Next time a left wing thug punches a conservative at a free speech rally thank Morrison!”
Spineless Morrison Government made a big mistake banning Milo Yiannopoulos. They just validated the left’s violent tactics & acted like an arm of Antifa! This will lead to more violence! Next time a left wing thug punches a conservative at a free speech rally thank Morrison! -PH
— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) March 6, 2019
Why is Milo Yiannopoulos banned from Australia?
Yiannopoulos’ reported ban from Australia on character grounds could stem from any number of past events.
In 2017, Yiannopoulos’ events in Sydney and Melbourne caused violent clashes between activists.
He also campaigned against same-sex marriage during the 2017 postal vote, despite marrying his own husband just weeks earlier.
Milo marries his husband weeks before campaigning against equal marriage in Australia. (Instagram)
After appearing to endorse sex between “younger boys” and older men, Yiannopoulos lost both his job at far-right news organisation Breitbart, and his book deal with Simon & Schuster.
In February 2018, he was selling vitamins to make a living, and in December last year it was reported he owed more than $2 million.
Much of that sum was owed to his Australian tour promoters, who he asked to cover his bills, allegedly stating: “I’m the star, and it’s my show, and you need to get used to it.”
PayPal suspended Yiannopoulos’ account last year after he sent a Jewish journalist $14.88.
According to the Southern Poverty Law Centre, 14 represents the “14 words,” a mantra about securing “a future for white children,” and 88 represents “Heil Hitler.”
He has also called for the murder of journalists.
The world reacts to Milo Yiannopoulos’s Australia ban
The reported decision to deny Yiannopoulos entry was welcomed by Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission.
Abramovich told The Australian, “The Morrison government, once again, has taken the high moral road of saying no to hate speech and extremism, and has protected the most vulnerable in our society from incitement and vilification.”
But Hanson has found an unlikely ally in the shape of the Guardian’s Melbourne editor, Gay Alcorn.
“I can’t stand Milo,” she said, “I think he’s a troll and a look-at-me kind of nothing. But he has the right, I think, to say what he wants to say. It is a free speech issue.”
Alcorn continued, “It also worried me when they banned Chelsea Manning also, and it seems to be this idea increasingly that Australians are too sensitive or too weak to be able to hear a controversial view.”
WATCH: @Gay_Alcorn says the Government is wrong to ban Milo Yiannopoulos from coming to Australia saying, “he has a right, I think, to say what it is he wants to say, it is a free speech issue.” #theboltreport @SkyNewsAust
MORE: https://t.co/Lgqd3gth0t pic.twitter.com/abAPK3Khn1
— The Bolt Report (@theboltreport) March 6, 2019
“Milo is just annoying and antagonistic,” agreed Twitter user EmmyJewel, “What IS dangerous is setting this precedent.”
Fucking insanity. He is not a threat, he’s not violent, he’s not a criminal. Milo is just annoying and antagonistic at worst. So what?! There are far more dangerous people allowed into Australia. What IS dangerous is setting this precedent.
https://t.co/9MxZAwdVuY— EmmyJewel (@Emmyjewel) March 6, 2019
But Gilberto Sing-Beckwith sided with the DHA’s decision, arguing that “There should be no place for Far-Right extremists racist voices ever, anywhere.”
Well deserved. There should be no place for Far-Right extremists racist voices ever, anywhere.- #MiloYiannopoulos #Australia Morrison government bans Milo Yiannopoulos from entering Australia https://t.co/jt1UI3IUU3 via @smh
— Gilberto Sing-Beckwith (@singbeckwith) March 6, 2019
Michael Halliday, meanwhile, just thinks “Actual Australians” don’t give “a toss about Milo.”
Milo Yiannopoulos banned from entering Australia.
“Outrageous!” – Andrew Bolt.
“Lefty PC Liberal P:arty!” – Mark Latham.
“Free Speech!” – David Leyonhjelm.
“Australia is broken!” – Rita Panahi.
“Nobody gives a toss about Milo” – Actual Australians. #auspol
— michael halliday777 (@michaelhallida4) March 6, 2019
