Operation Rescue leader Troy Newman, one of the people behind the deceptively edited Planned Parenthood “sting” videos (and a crazed extremist who calls for doctors who perform abortions to be executed) was denied a visa to visit Australia yesterday, but today he got on a plane headed for Oz anyway, obviously hoping for a confrontation he could exploit for propaganda.

But tonight we learn that Newman has been detained at Melbourne Airport pending his removal from Australia: Anti-Abortion Activist Detained After Flying to Melbourne Despite Visa Cancellation.

Mr Newman, who has questioned why doctors who abort babies are not executed, had his visa cancelled by the Immigration Department yesterday and was stopped from getting on a flight in Denver.

But the ABC understands he flew on a United Airlines flight, and a spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the airline now faces a fine for carriage of a person who does not hold a valid visa.

“Since Mr Newman-Mariotti does not hold a visa, he is unable to enter Australia and remains in the presence of ABF (Australian Border Force) officials at the Melbourne Airport pending his removal,” the spokeswoman said.