Anti-Islam Influencer Banned from Entering the UK: Here's the Chronology

The UK government has banned an American influencer, Valentina Gomez, from entering its territory ahead of a planned far-right group action in London. According to The Guardian on Wednesday (22/6/2026), UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is said to have revoked Gomez’s entry permission, even though she had previously obtained approval through the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. Gomez was scheduled to speak at an event titled Unite the Kingdom on 16 May, organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Government sources state that the decision to revoke the permission was taken because Gomez’s presence was deemed “not conducive to public interests.” The UK government previously used a similar reason when rejecting rapper Kanye West’s visit, which had sparked controversy due to his antisemitic and racist statements. The 26-year-old Gomez is widely known for her controversial statements against Islam. In a similar action last year, she delivered harsh rhetoric targeting the Muslim community in the UK. “UK, they’ve taken your weapons, they’ve taken your sword, and they’re raping your women. You have nothing left to lose, but there’s still hope. You’re still the majority. So, you must fight for this nation or let all these racist Muslims and corrupt politicians take over,” she said at the time. That statement sparked widespread condemnation for being seen as containing hate speech. The previous Unite the Kingdom action was attended by more than 100,000 people, making it one of the largest far-right demonstrations in UK history. In addition to on-site speakers, the event also featured a remote message from tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who was criticised by the government at the time for using provocative language. UK Home Secretary Mahmood has the authority to cancel someone’s entry permission to the UK. “While we recognise the democratic right that everyone should be free to express their views peacefully, this does not include promoting hatred and extremist views,” she said. After news of the ban emerged, Gomez responded via social media, stating she would still come to the UK. She also made statements that once again sparked controversy. This government decision comes amid public pressure. An independent figure in the House of Lords, Shaista Gohir, had previously asked the government to reject Gomez’s entry for policy consistency. Meanwhile, the Muslim Council of Britain views the initial policy that temporarily allowed Gomez to enter as showing double standards in applying free speech, which could potentially impact public safety. On the other hand, television celebrity Sharon Osbourne also faced criticism after stating she would attend the action. The homeless charity Centrepoint is even said to be cutting ties as a response to that stance.