Australia Denies Visa For Proud Boys Founder

ABC News Australia reports:

Right-wing provocateur and founder of the Proud Boys group Gavin McInnes has had his visa application blocked by the Home Affairs Department, failing the character test to enter Australia.

Critics of Mr McInnes were urging the department and Immigration Minister David Coleman to ban him from travelling to Australia for a speaking tour next year, concerned about his extreme views and promotion of violence.

The ABC understands Mr McInnes was notified a few weeks ago that the department was likely to block his visa application because he was judged to be of bad character, and the formal window for him to appeal closed today.

Last week McInnis claimed to be cutting his ties with the Proud Boys, prompting a leadership battle in which they accidentally revealed the real names of their so-called Elders Chapter.