Odd Future banned from entering New Zealand, deemed threat to the public

Tyler, The Creator and his hip-hop group Odd Future were denied entry into New Zealand on Thursday for being deemed a threat to the public.

Border Operations Manager Karen Urwin cited a 2011 incident in Boston, in which the six group members allegedly instigated attacks against police officers in the city.

Urwin told the AP this wasn’t a “decision we take lightly and not one that happens often.” She continued that their decision to ban the group from entering the country is not because of their controversial lyrics.

"If we banned people who used swear words, we wouldn't have many people left in New Zealand,” she explained.

Odd Future were scheduled to perform with Eminem in Auckland on Saturday night.

Tyler, The Creator took to Twitter to comment on their visas being declined, writing:

Immigration New Zealand has said in an official statement, "Odd Future has been deemed to be a potential threat to public order and the public interest for several reasons, including incidents at past performances in which they have incited violence."

image: Wikimedia Commons

WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on your website.

Learn more about debugging in WordPress.