New Zealand has become the latest country in banning controversial conservative commentator Candace Owens, denying her a visa under immigration laws.
Owens, a prominent far-right influencer, faced international backlash for her history of incendiary remarks, including Holocaust denial and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
In October, Australia canceled her visa, citing her capacity to “incite discord,” barring her from a planned speaking tour that also included New Zealand, according to the New Zealand Herald.
“From downplaying the impact of the Holocaust with comments about [German SS officer Josef] Mengele through to claims that Muslims started slavery, Candace Owens has the capacity to incite discord in almost every direction,” Tony Burke, Australia’s Immigration Minister, said. “Australia’s national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else.”
On November 20, Immigration New Zealand confirmed it had denied Owens a work visa for her November 14 event in Auckland, citing her exclusion from Australia as the basis.
“Candace Owens has some very wacky ideas. She says that Jews orchestrated JFK’s assassination and she distorts the Holocaust, including questioning the medical experimentation in death camps. In 2022 she defended Ye (Kanye West) when he said he would go ‘Deathcon 3 on Jewish people’. She believes there was no moon landing,” Deborah Hart, Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chairwoman, told the outlet.
Meanwhile, the Auckland speaking engagement, originally planned for West Auckland’s Trusts Arena, has since been postponed to February 2025. Tickets for the rescheduled event are still available despite the visa denial.
