Anti-Islam influencer Valentina Gomez has been blocked from entering the UK by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who withdrew her electronic travel authorisation (ETA) on the grounds that her presence would not be conducive to the public good. Gomez, a US-based self-styled Maga influencer, had been due to speak at the Unite the Kingdom rally on 16 May, organised by Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
The decision mirrors the recent refusal of entry to rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, whose ETA was withdrawn after concerns over antisemitic, racist and pro-Nazi comments. A source close to Mahmood said: 'While we recognise the democratic right that people must be free to peacefully express their views, this does not include promoting hatred and extremist views.'
Gomez, 26, attended the first Unite the Kingdom rally in September last year, where she warned from the stage that 'rapist Muslims' were 'taking over' the UK. She also addressed police officers, telling them to stop following orders. An estimated more than 100,000 people attended that event, thought to be the largest far-right rally of its type in British history.
After the Guardian revealed her ban, Gomez wrote on X: 'I'm coming to England on a boat. They can try to ban me, but they cannot ban the TRUTH. See you May 16th.' In an accompanying video she racially abused Mahmood and claimed her ban is 'because I'm not coming to rape or kill little girls'.
Mahmood had faced pressure to ban Gomez. The cross-bench peer Shaista Gohir and the Muslim Council of Britain criticised the initial ETA approval, citing double standards. Gomez, a Christian born in Colombia, gained notoriety for anti-Islam stunts, including burning a copy of the Qur'an and vowing to 'end Islam in Texas' during an unsuccessful congressional campaign.
