Home Office Blocks US Anti-Islam Influencer Valentina Gomez From Entering UK for London Rally

Valentina Gomez, a US-based anti-Islam influencer who has unsuccessfully sought election on an anti-Islam platform, has been blocked from entering the UK by the Home Office. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood concluded that Gomez's presence in the country 'would not be conducive to the public good'.

Gomez had announced her intention to speak at the Tommy Robinson-organised Unite the Kingdom rally in London on 16 May. She previously filmed herself burning a copy of the Quran in a social media campaign video and, at a September Unite the Kingdom march, referred to 'rapist Muslims', claiming Islam was 'the sword that the left is using to destroy Christian nations'.

Prior to the Home Office's decision on Monday, the 26-year-old, born in Colombia, had stated her application to enter the UK had been approved. This prompted the Muslim Council of Britain to write to the Home Secretary, expressing concern. In a letter published on 17 April, the organisation argued that allowing Gomez to speak publicly would 'grant legitimacy and sends a troubling message about the selective application of Home Office standards'.

The Muslim Council of Britain welcomed the Home Office's decision, calling for it to serve as 'a precedent for others who chose to promote disinformation and hatred'. The Home Office has a history of intervening to block visas for public figures deemed potentially inflammatory, including a recent refusal for Kanye West to perform at Wireless Festival due to previous antisemitic comments.