The government has cancelled the visa of a Jewish influencer who has previously called for the ban of Islam and was booked to speak at several events in Australia.
The right-leaning Australian Jewish Association (AJA) said Sammy Yahood’s visa was cancelled three hours before his flight was due to depart.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, confirmed he had cancelled the visa on Monday evening, and said “spreading hatred is not a good reason to come”.
“If someone wants to come to Australia they should apply for the right visa and come for the right reason,” Burke told Guardian Australia in a statement.
In response to the decision, Yahood took to social media overnight to accuse Labor of “tyranny”, insisting his spirits remained high despite the block.
Sorry but… I just don’t really understand what the Jewish Assoc is playing at, honestly.
Very recently there was a massacre in Sydney. It was awful. Of course the Jewish victims and their community has my sympathy.
In the wake of that event, questions have rightly been asked as to what governments and communities are doing to manage hate speech and anti-semitism. New federal hate speech laws have been passed just in the last few weeks.
Sorry but importing some asshole to stoke more hatred and animosity between these communities is not the way to manage this problem.
I believe it’s called “pressing the advantage”. Or, by the looks of it, “overplaying your hand”.
Unfortunately then the conclusion has to be they don’t want peace.