Cancelled: Alt-right activists Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern in limbo after venue backs out of hosting event

Powerstation owner Peter Campbell told Newshub he had cancelled the speaking event with Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux.

The pair of controversial alt-right activists have a message for the Kiwis after a failed speaking tour.

"Hope you enjoy shariah."

Caolan Robertson, an agent for Lauren Southern, sent the message to the Herald over Twitter adding it was the official tour response.

Lauren Southern and Stephen Molyneux have claimed that "powerful forces" prevented them speaking in New Zealand.

"We had paid, we had an agreement in hand and the guy who was in charge of the venue was very keen on free speech – it's an open canvas," Molyneux told Newshub.

"He knew who we were, he knew what was going on."

After the emails were sent out alerting people to the venue, something changed, Molyneux said.

"From going from being very enthusiastic about what we were doing, to being terrified, hysterical and downright abusive... Something happened in that hour and we're going to find out what."

Southern told Newshub a "radical minority" of Kiwis were attempting to decide what the rest of the nation thought.

"They don't want open inquiry ... they don't want questions asked."

Their comments came as more than 100 people cheered on the cancellation during a peaceful protest held at Aotea Square this evening.

Protester Emilie Rākete said the people gathered "categorically rejected" hate speech and that message was clear.

"They couldn't find a single venue [to host them].

"They wanted us to give them a platform and they don't deserve one."

Auckland man Jim Gladwin said he had been attending these kinds of protests for the past 40 years and it was imperative to speak out against fascism.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson was among the protesters and said it was her responsibility to use her platform to speak out.

"Aotearoa does not stand for your messages of racism, hatred and especially white supremacy," she said.

Earlier today Powerstation owner Gabrielle Mullins told the Herald the speakers would not be appearing at the Mt Eden venue tonight.

"We're not having the show," Mullins said.

She said she did not agree with the two speakers' message.

The company had been contacted at short notice about hosting Southern and Molyneux and she knew nothing about them.

After receiving complaints, the venue decided to cancel.

"It goes against quite a lot of things that we say," Mullins said. "They can say whatever they want but personally I don't want it in my venue."

Earlier today, people who had paid to attend tonight's event received emails from the promoter confirming Powerstation as the venue.

"We want to thank you for the incredible understanding and patience you've shown as we've had to keep the location of the venue secret for as long as possible," the email said.

"We look forward to the day when venues aren't bullied for daring to be available and ideas right of Stalin are permitted equal rights to peaceful assembly.

"On that note, please make sure to rate the below venue 5 stars on Facebook for courage, as the intolerant Leftists will be rating them low for no other reason than they had the audacity to host a conservative event."

The email ended with a note saying: "Do not feed the trolls."

"Do not sink to the level of the violent leftists. There will be plenty of security & police to deal with trouble makers, but they will remove everyone not behaving appropriately. The last thing we need is for NZ's biased media to report both "sides" behaved badly, inside or outside the event."

A later email confirmed the speaking event had been cancelled "due to circumstances beyond our control" and said all tickets would be refunded within 14 days.

Caolan Robertson, an agent for Southern, told Newshub "powerful forces" were opposed to the event. He said they could not find another venue.

Yesterday, Molyneux and Southern were pictured arriving at Auckland Airport, posing under a Māori carving at the Arrivals hall.

Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux arriving at Auckland International Airport yesterday. Photo / Supplied

The pair's on-again, off-again visit to this country sparked a debate about free speech after Auckland Mayor Phil Goff blocked them from using council venues, saying he did not want such spaces used to stir up ethnic tensions.

They cancelled the trip after the setback but later reconfirmed plans to speak here after the promoter found a new venue.

Protesters had threatened to rally outside the Powerstation venue and police were seen today conducting a security sweep at the Powerstation and but told Newshub police respected the right to protest and the right to freedom of speech.

"Our role is to ensure the safety of any member of the public," Auckland City District commander Superintendent Karyn Malthus said.

"We want everyone to be safe, so we ask that anyone intending to turn up to the event acts in a peaceful manner and with consideration for others."

Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway has said he personally felt their views were repugnant but that there was no grounds to reject their visas.

He dismissed claims that they had been banned from other countries, saying they were prevented from entering for specific purposes.