Troy Newman, a prominent American anti-abortion activist, has been barred from entering Australia because of his past inflammatory rhetoric on the subject.
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Newman, who co-authored a book that suggested doctors who perform abortions are committing a crime egregious enough to warrant the death penalty, denied that he posed a threat to anyone.
Newman was set to do a ten-city speaking tour of Australia talking about the baby-parts videos he helped produce with David Daleiden of the Center for Medical Progress.
United Airlines has said it is undertaking an internal review into how a passenger boarded one of its flights without a valid visa in order to travel to Australia.
Justice Geoffrey Nettle said while there was an implied right in the constitution to freedom of political communication, that right was given to Australian citizens.
Well we guess his followers didn’t pray hard enough, because Newman’s just arrived and has now been detained by the Border Force for up to 72 hours before getting booted back to The States, and we can’t fucking breathe.
Supporters of the anti-abortion campaigner have argued that the cancellation of Newman’s visa was a denial of free speech.
Well, Australia’s immigration minister made a decision to cancel his visa as a result.
Right to Life Australia chief executive officer Dr Katrina Haller said it was “perfectly legal to talk to people in the street and give literature” on pro-life causes in Australia.
Operation Rescue, meanwhile, says that Newman is being unfairly persecuted by pro-choice advocates who are misrepresenting his views.
His wife Mellissa had presented his appeal to the high court in Melbourne.
“So since when does the Australian embassy prevent me from travelling from Denver to LA? he is heard saying in the video to airline staff”.
Newman’s lawyers are challenging Australia’s move to deny his entry, on the basis that he has never been convicted for inciting violence, reported the Guardian.
Mr Dutton’s office said United Airlines now faced a fine for carrying a person who was on a Movement Alert List without a valid visa.
Australia’s Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has confirmed that Newman’s visa had been cancelled, according to Australia’s ABC News.
Newman sought to appeal the decision to revoke his visa, but an Australian judge ultimately ruled against him.
Several Australian politicians, including Labor backbencher Terri Butler, had called for Mr Newman to be banned from entering the country.
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“We do debate abortion, like we debate all sorts of other issues, and you and I are doing it in a very respectful way”, she said.
