UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has blocked US-based anti-Islam influencer Valentina Gomez from entering the United Kingdom, withdrawing her travel authorization on the grounds that her presence “would not be conducive to the public good.”
Gomez, a self-styled Maga influencer, had been granted permission to enter via a UK electronic travel authorisation (ETA) last week. She was scheduled to speak at the “Unite the Kingdom” rally on May 16, an event organized by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson.
Grounds for Entry Denial
The decision to withdraw the ETA follows a similar action taken earlier this month against the rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye. West’s authorization was revoked due to a series of racist, antisemitic, and pro-Nazi comments.
A source close to the home secretary stated that while the government recognizes the democratic right to peacefully express views, this does not extend to the promotion of hatred and extremist views.
The move came after pressure from figures such as crossbench peer Shaista Gohir and the Muslim Council of Britain. The latter had previously expressed concerns regarding double standards in how freedom of speech is applied to different faith groups.
Valentina Gomez’s History of Rhetoric
Gomez, a Christian born in Colombia, gained notoriety through various anti-Islam stunts. In August of last year, she burned a copy of the Qur’an and stated her goal was to “end Islam in Texas” while running for a Republican nomination to Congress.
During the first Unite the Kingdom rally in September, which saw an estimated 100,000 attendees, Gomez claimed that “rapist Muslims” were “taking over” the UK. She urged the crowd to fight for the nation and told police officers to stop following orders.
The September event is considered the largest far-right rally of its kind in British history and featured remote remarks from Elon Musk, which Downing Street later condemned as “dangerous and inflammatory.”
Related Backlash
Separately, TV personality Sharon Osbourne is facing criticism after commenting “See you at the march” on an Instagram post regarding the planned rally. In response, the homeless charity Centrepoint announced it would cut ties with Osbourne.
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