David Irving is to speak in a university debate on 23 November on "free speech". However the Holocaust denial writer, who was recently barred permanently from entering Austria, was careful not to reveal which student union had been so misguided as to ask him.Students and university staff are asked to let us know about any debates booked for 23 November, or thereabouts, that might be the one hosting Irving so that we can take steps to prevent this blatant misuse of academic freedom to promote his Nazi agenda.
Irving was released from an Austrian prison last December after serving part of a three-year term for denying the Holocaust. Since then he has been active promoting Holocaust denial in Hungary, where he addressed a far-right rally on 15 March 2007. He fared less well in Poland where he was expelled from the 52nd Warsaw International Book Fair because his writings contravened Polish law.
The reason for Irving's caution over his debating engagement was clear from his correspondence, reproduced on his website, with Andrew Mackenzie, president of the European Society at the University of St Andrews. Mackenzie had asked Irving to suggest dates on which he could come and speak about "the holocaust and Adolf Hitler", but rapidly withdrew the invitation after the university "raised concerns" about "security and use of their property".
Later this week Irving is due to speak at two public meetings - Coventry on 21 September and the following evening in Windsor, where he moved into a large house earlier this month. His subject will be "who dug the grave of the British Empire - Hitler or Churchill". Strict security is to be observed with "rights of admission strictly reserved". Those wishing to attend are warned to bring "satisfactory ID".
This is certainly a step up for Irving who has recently been seen hawking his books from a tent in a field at a Second World War re-enactment event in Kent, where middle-aged men got the opportunity to dress up as SS members. The event attracted all shades of extremist opinion including a number of members of Belgian Blood and Honour.
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3 comments:
"This is certainly a step up for Irving who has recently been seen hawking his books from a tent in a field at a Second World War re-enactment event in Kent, where middle-aged men got the opportunity to dress up as SS members. The event attracted all shades of extremist opinion including a number of members of Belgian Blood and Honour."
Just for your information, *most* of the re-enacters are sickened by the SS at Detling, including throses who re-enact the Wehrmacht (I.E. "normal" german soliders).
What a great picture!
in certain national newspapers there have been articles about the growth of anti semeitism certainly in some of the ivy league universities because of the palastinian question. This appears to be being driven from both sides of the political divide.
Some people have really short memories.
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