After a tour stop in Toronto, Australian musician Keli Holiday, whose real name is Adam Hyde, claimed he was denied re-entry into the United States. The incident led to an apology from his girlfriend, social media personality Abbie Chatfield, for an old post that some interpreted as a threat against U.S. President Donald Trump.
Hyde, the frontman of the band Peking Duk, wrote on social media in a now-deleted post that he had been detained at the Canadian border and denied entry back into the U.S. despite possessing proper visa documentation. The post was reported by the BBC and Rolling Stone Australia.
Following Holiday's message, Chatfield issued an apology on Instagram for past comments that she said were misunderstood. In a TikTok video from over a year ago, Chatfield appeared to joke about political violence, asking her followers why certain actions had not been taken. She later clarified that her words were taken out of context and that she was not calling for the assassination of any political figure.
Chatfield's Clarification
In her Instagram video, Chatfield explained that her old post was a poorly aimed joke about incels and the reaction to Luigi Mangione, a man accused of killing someone. She emphasized that she does not condone political violence and apologized for the misunderstanding. Chatfield also stated that Holiday had not seen the video before the border incident.
U.S. Border Security and Social Media
Holiday's denial of entry comes amid increased scrutiny of travelers' social media histories. Last year, a proposal was introduced that would require some tourists to provide their social media activity from the past five years for entry into the U.S. Trump ally Juanita Broaddrick praised the ban on X, writing, "This is how you do it! Thanks Border Patrol."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials did not directly link Holiday's ban to Chatfield's video but stated that visas to enter America are a privilege, not a right. A CBP spokesperson confirmed that Holiday was denied entry due to national security concerns. Postmedia has reached out to CBP for further comment.
This incident follows concerns raised by Canadian musician Neil Young, who said he fears being barred from the U.S. for criticizing the president. Young referenced the case of Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian actress detained by ICE for two weeks, and alleged that journalists and others who disagree with the government face restrictions on entry.
