Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux have 'visas in hand' and will come to NZ, organiser says
Friday, 20 July 2018
An Auckland event featuring far-Right Canadian speakers Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux will go ahead, according to the company organising the event.
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway announced on Friday Southern and Molyneux had been granted 10-day visas to New Zealand.
Lees-Galloway said his decision did not mean he condoned the views of the pair.
'I understand that many people would prefer it if Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux never set foot in New Zealand,' he said.
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'INZ's decision in no way condones the views expressed by the pair, which are repugnant to this Government and run counter to the kind and tolerant values of the vast majority of New Zealanders.'
David Pellowe of events company Axiomatic said the visas were 'in hand', and he was 'optimistic' a venue would be found.
'If your readers would like to offer a venue for 600-plus people we're keen to pay a fair market rate for it,' he told Stuff.
Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) President Hazim Arafeh said he was 'gutted' at the Minister's decision.
'Obviously the honourable Minister doesn't have any option but to follow the law of New Zealand.'
Arafeh said the group was in consultation about what, if any, protest action they would hold at the event.
Southern and Molyneux are termed 'alt media' in promotional materials for their event, which was originally scheduled for August 3.
Pellowe said the event could be rescheduled to another date between August 1 and August 6 but would remain in Auckland.
Council-owned venue manager, Auckland Live, cancelled their booking at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna citing security and safety concerns.
Pellowe dismissed those concerns saying the company had always engaged 'military level' advice on security for its events.
Unless the event saw unprecedented protest action against it, Pellowe expected security costs to range between A$2500 and A$9000.
Auckland Peace Action said on Friday white supremacists had targeted them after they spoke out against the visit of the two speakers.
One of the messages threatened APA member Valerie Morse with physical injury saying she'll need to 'suck out of a straw for a month while in ICU'.
Morse said the Canadians were denied entry into the United Kingdom so should not have been granted entry into New Zealand.
'We are concerned Immigration NZ does not have correct information or that there has been political interference to allow them into the country.”
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff tweeted an announcement on July 6 that the pair would not be hosted at any venues saying 'views that divide rather than unite are repugnant and I have made my views on this very clear'.
Goff later said the decision was not his.
Auckland Council's decision to cancel the booking sparked a judicial review from the 'Free Speech Coalition' who raised $90,000 for a High Court action contesting the move.
In documents filed at the Auckland High Court it said Axiomatic had been unable to secure a venue for the event that wasn't council owned.
ASB Showgrounds was not available because Goff served as vice patron and other private venues were booked out or unwilling to host the pair, the coalition said in documents served at the court.