Tommy Robinson is facing backlash in Australia after he announced a new speaking tour of the country alongside the leader of a ‘new right’ men-only group.
The tour, named “The Deplorables”, features Mr Robinson and Gavin McInnes addressing crowds in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Sydney in December.
Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon was freed on bail from a UK prison earlier this year after being charged with contempt of court.
On bail, he is planning trips to speak in the US and Australia, which some have estimated could see him make more than £1m.
Gavin McInnes was one of the founders of Vice media before embracing right wing politics, forming the group Proud Boys.
Proud Boys have been banned from Facebook and Instagram for “organised hate”.
Mr Robinson had been set to tour Australia with Milo Yiannopoulos however the event was cancelled without refunds.
The new tour has drawn criticism from Australians who have called for the pair to have their visas cancelled.
A petition to stop Gavin McInnes’ tour has been signed by over 48,000 people.
While Australia’s Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich has called on the country’s Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton to cancel Mr Robinson’s visa.
The country’s Green Party has also called for the Home Affairs minister to cancel their visas in a lengthy statement.
Richard Di Natale, leader of the Green Party said: “Mr Yaxley-Lennon was recently jailed in the United Kingdom after being found guilty of contempt of court, and while a criminal history alone is not necessarily a justification to deny a visa on character grounds, it clearly reflects that his views remain unchanged.
“Mr Yaxley-Lennon’s sole reported purpose for this trip is to join a fellow white supremacist in a national talking tour, with the intention of spreading hatred and misogyny and the potential to incite violence.”
Other Australians have taken to social media to share their outrage at the tour.
Ian Evans wrote: “Tommy Robinson and Gavin McInnes are far-right organisers, with violent supporters. They’ve both been in a rally with Generation Identity, the neo-nazi group. They really shouldn’t be in Australia.”
While Karen Williams said: “I hear Tommy Robinson wants to come to Australia., please do not let him in.”
Another user wrote: “In the coming months Australia is going to get visits from a lot of people such as Tommy Robinson & Gavin McInnes. These people & I use that term loosely, scare me.”
20,000 people have signed a petition calling for Tommy Robinson and Gavin McInnes to be allowed into Australia.
Tommy Robinson has also been invited to speak in the US by The Middle East Forum. The speech is set to take place in Washington on November 14.
Earlier this year Nigel Farage’s toured Australia as part of an “Entertaining Evening with Nigel Farage.”
In Perth, just 350 people turned out to see him talk. His show was outsold by an Elvis tribute act.