A US-based anti-Islam influencer has been barred from entering the UK to speak at afar-right rallynext month. Valentina Gomez, 26, had received approval for an electronic travel authorisation to attend the Unite the Kingdom march organised by Tommy Robinson in London on 16 May.
The Home Office withdrew the permission after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood ruled her presence would not be conducive to the public good. The block follows Gomez's announcement last week on social media that she planned to address the event.
Gomez first appeared at the Unite the Kingdom rally in September last year, where she joined Robinson on stage and delivered a speech criticising Islam. She referred to 'rapist Muslims' and claimed they were taking over the UK, urging supporters to fight back.Video footagefrom the event shows her telling the crowd: 'It's either now or never because if these rapist Muslims take over, they will not only rape your women'.
The comments were met with applause but have since been condemned by anti-hate campaigners. Born in Colombia, Gomez has built a following in the US as a self-styled defender of Christian values. Hercampaign stunts, including burning a Quran with a flamethrower, have drawn international attention.
The September rally drew thousands protesting immigration, and she was invited back to build on that platform. Muslim MPs and community groups had called for the ban, pointing to her history of inflammatory language. The Home Office acted after initial clearance under the ETA system, which allows short visits without a visa but is subject to revocation.
The decision highlights the government's approach to managing risks at public events. Mahmood intervened directly to cancel the authorisation, citing concerns over public order. Similar exclusions have been used for other activists deemed to promote division.
Following the news, Gomez launched a personal attack on the home secretary, calling her a 'dirty Pakistani Muslim' in a social media response. She has portrayed the ban as an attack on free speech rather than a security measure.
The controversy has split opinions. Free speech advocates argue the UK is becoming intolerant of conservative voices from abroad, while others see the ban as essential to prevent escalation of tensions before the May march.
Social media has amplified the story. Gomez shared avideo defending herself,claiming the ban was imposed 'because I'm not coming to rape or kill little girls'. The post resonated with her supporters and reignited debates about grooming gangs. Clips from her previous speech continue to spread on Instagram.
In one widelyviewed reel, she is seen saying: 'Send all of these rapist Muslims and dirty rugs back to their shariah nations'. Such content has generated hundreds of thousands of views and intense online discussion. Robinson's team has not issued a statement on the ban, but the Unite the Kingdom event is scheduled to proceed with other speakers.
Source: International Business Times UK
