Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes’ visa application denied

“Good,” he told news.com.au in a text message late Friday, confirming an earlier report by the ABC that had been dismissed by the tour’s organiser, Penthouse publisher Damien Costas.

“Getting screamed at by a bunch of delusional SJWs isn’t exactly the best environment for comedy. I find it interesting that the media found out before our lawyers did. Fake news truly trumps the justice system in Australia – and in America for that matter.”

While many wanted him banned from entering the country, others wanted to welcome the former Vice magazine founder turned head of the street-brawling men’s rights group the Proud Boys.

Reports this afternoon suggested McInnes has been denied a Visa on character grounds ahead of a scheduled speaking tour in December.

The ABC reported the Home Affairs Department blocked McInnes over concerns about his “extreme views and promotion of violence”.

A spokesman for the department told news.com.au they could not comment on individual cases but they were “aware of this case”.

The organiser of McInnes’ tour, Penthouse publisher Damien Costas, shot down the news when approached earlier on Friday.

“No idea where they got that,” he said.

“We’ve not been notified nor was the application ever at an appeal level. The time frame for an appeal today is nonsense, no idea where they’re getting that from.”

McInnes is a friend of Milo Yiannopoulos and Lauren Southern, whose recent trips Down Under were marred by violent clashes between supporters and left-wing protesters.

McInnes said of Australia recently: “Look at Sydney, it’s being lost to Islam like West London was. In fact, there’s parts of Sydney totally indistinguishable from West London. It’s exactly the same — the sense of capitulation, discouraging assimilation.”

He said his tour is a “comedy tour” and not about preachy politics.

“My goal is to show people that conservatives are funny. In fact we’re the rebels, we’re Animal House. Who got kicked off campus? John Belushi. Milo and Lauren, even Alan Dershowitz are getting kicked off campus. We’re the fun ones.”

Australians might remember McInnes for his nine-minute video criticising The Project ’s Waleed Aly.

In it, McInnes calls the Gold Logie Award winning host “retard” and “East Indian, hot Canada virgin”.

Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich shared a statement following news McInnes may be banned from entering Australia.

“The bottom line is that Gavin McInnes is not welcomed anywhere in Australia, and I applaud the government’s decision to reject his application,” he said.

“I have no doubt that his visit would have cultivated a disruptive atmosphere of incitement as well as drawing hardcore extremists, and this explosive combination could have resulted in rioting and street-fights.

“This moral decision is a strong affirmation that the noxious rhetoric often spewed by Mr McInnes will never be tolerated in Australia. I also note that The Proud Boys that he founded is now designated by the FBI as an ‘extremist group with ties to white nationalism’.

“At a time when anti-Semitism and far-right activism in our nation are on the increase, we should not be providing such individuals with an opportunity to promote their divisive and dangerous agenda which runs counter to our core values.”

Reports McInnes’ visa has been refused come one day after a petition signed by 81,000 people, which calls for the government to ban him, was delivered to Canberra.

“More than 80,000 Australians … refuse to turn a blind eye to this clear record of violence incitement, and the violence of the Proud Boys,” petition organiser Nyadol Nyuon said.

“We should not allow Australia to become the final refuge of extremist groups, some who think that this place is their last hope.”