Far-right Canadian commentator Stefan Molyneux has revealed more about a confrontation that occurred behind the scenes on the day his controversial Auckland speaking event with Lauren Southern was cancelled.
In an email sent today to New Zealand fans, he also urged ticket holders to decline a refund for the cancelled event “if you think that we provided enough value by engaging with a hostile media, battling visa barriers, and for me at least, recording and publishing the speech I was going to give”.
Tickets had sold for a minimum of $99.
The pair – known for their extreme and polarising views on topics such as feminism, gender, immigration and Islam – were scheduled to speak earlier this month but hit their first hurdle after Auckland Council banned them from speaking at venues it owns.
Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux gave an in-depth interview to 1 NEWS.
Private music venue Powerstation was revealed to be their new host hours before the event was set to take place. But Powerstation also backed out about an hour after its affiliation was announced.
“We did have a paid agreement with the venue owner, who knew who we were, and claimed to support free speech,” Mr Molyneux said. “Tragically, the day of the event, he yanked the plug on us without warning, threatening our people with arrest if they did not leave the premises immediately.”
Hundreds turned out at Auckland’s Aotea Square to protest the event, even after it was cancelled. Mr Molyneaux and Ms Southern did not make any public appearances.
Mr Molyneux blamed “the hysteria about us spewed out by the mainstream media” for why the pair was rejected by every other venue they contacted.
The Canadian far-right speaker says Jacinda Ardern will be compromised as a mother by being an effective politician.
“Your leaders and media may be hysterical, but you are wonderful,” he told fans in the email, which linked to various appearances the pair made in New Zealand media outlets after the event was cancelled.
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