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Last update - 16:06 13/10/2007
Oxford Union reportedly invited Holocaust denier Irving to speak
By Haaretz Service

The Oxford Union debating society raised ire among student groups and activists on Thursday after its president announced that he had invited Holocaust denier David Irving to come speak at the university, The Guardian reported Friday.

The society's president, Luke Tryl, told The Guardian he had also invited British National party chairman Nick Griffin and Belarussian dictator Alexander Lukoshenko to speak. He added that the group has not yet formalized its invitation list.

"The Oxford Union is famous for is commitment to free speech and although I do think these people have awful and abhorrent views I do think Oxford students are intelligent enough to challenge and ridicule them," Tryl said.
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The announcement has sparked controversy among students and anti-fascist activists, according to The Guardian.

"It will be a disgrace if these discredited speakers are allowed a platform at a forum on free speech. They have an embarrassing history of disregard for legal restrictions on it. It will certainly go down as a black mark on the reputation of the Oxford Union," Oxford Jewish Society co-presidents Daniel Bloch and Steven Altmann-Richer said in a joint statement.

According to the report, Irving denied having been formally approached by anyone from the Oxford Union but said he would accept such an invitation if offered.

"I have had many invitations to speak there in the past but they normally get withdrawn after threats of violence and intimidation. It is a pity because I think there are a lot of students who would like to hear what I have to say," he said.

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  1.   In UK, free speech means inciting hatred of Jews 13:01  |  Mrs Ita Peach 12/10/07
  2.   And there are those who are not 13:04  |  Clickfool 12/10/07
  3.   Oxford Union allowed to do what they want 13:08  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/10/07
  4.   Good news: birts racism is showing itself. No more brit hypocrisy 13:27  |  Alain 12/10/07
  5.   LINTHWAITE, CLICKFOOL 13:39  |  Brant 12/10/07
  6.   What a shame Mosely is dead 13:39  |  D Hirod 12/10/07
  7.   HITLERS KID ARE AT IT AGAIN 13:39  |  M 12/10/07
  8.   Chris Linthwaite 13:40  |  Albert Seligman 12/10/07
  9.   Who cares what is said in UK universities 13:42  |  Barry 12/10/07
  10.   Chris 13:47  |  Old Brit 12/10/07
  11.   Definition of free speech 13:47  |  Amos 12/10/07
  12.   Don`t know why irving is described as a holocaust denier;he 14:09  |  lakshmi 12/10/07
  13.   Abu Mazen 14:09  |  Ilan 12/10/07
  14.   While you are at invite, the deniers of evolution, revolution and 14:13  |  Reuven 12/10/07
  15.   #5 D Hirod 14:15  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/10/07
  16.   #8 Old Brit 14:23  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/10/07
  17.   old brit 8 14:34  |  realism 12/10/07
  18.   HOPEFULLY they will quote "A liar & falsifier of history" 14:35  |  PETER SM 12/10/07
  19.   not free speech, hate speech 14:38  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/10/07
  20.   Chris L #3 -- your own words betray you 14:40  |  bbl 12/10/07
  21.   Free speech for everybody 15:18  |  17 12/10/07
  22.   Something Is Rotten .... in the British Universities (!?) 15:18  |  Vittorio 12/10/07
  23.   Disrepute 15:32  |  Johns Hopkins 12/10/07
  24.   to ``free speech defenders`` 15:33  |  vladimir 12/10/07
  25.   Apparently, reports state that he is denying that he is speaking 15:42  |  Reporter 12/10/07
  26.   FREE SPEECH! 15:45  |  let me people go! 12/10/07
  27.   Wasn`t Irving discedited? 15:50  |  Outsider 12/10/07
  28.   17 at 21 (going on 12?) 16:09  |  Joshua 12/10/07
  29.   free speech - no problem 16:14  |  citizen zero 12/10/07
  30.   Vlad the empaler... 16:15  |  Joshua 12/10/07
  31.   Debating Glory 16:20  |  17 12/10/07
  32.   Let him speak! (And Linthwaite) 16:39  |  Nik Miller 12/10/07
  33.   Irving will go away beaten and humiliated 16:49  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 12/10/07
  34.   #20 bbl 16:58  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/10/07
  35.   We Are Going to Lose 16:58  |  Lloyd Foster 12/10/07
  36.   Clickfool + Chris Linthwaite 16:59  |  Chris 12/10/07
  37.   Antisemitism hiding now under the skirt of "Free Speech" 17:18  |  Fortuna Benmayor 12/10/07
  38.   #11 Amos 17:19  |  Labhras 12/10/07
  39.   Free Speech and Lakshmi 17:24  |  john 12/10/07
  40.   #22 Vittorio 17:26  |  Labhras 12/10/07
  41.   #24 Vladimir 17:42  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/10/07
  42.   Why don`t Jews Boycott This Racist Institution? 17:46  |  dyinglikeflies 12/10/07
  43.   Hitler Didn`t Know This! 17:49  |  Karl Huber 12/10/07
  44.   It`s like inviting a `scientist` who speaks on behalf 18:32  |  Chick 12/10/07
  45.   EXCELLENT!!!! 18:36  |  Robert 12/10/07
  46.   Debating glory 18:47  |  17 12/10/07
  47.   Free speech is not the issue 18:52  |  Jeff 12/10/07
  48.   To Silvianne, on reason and accountability 19:44  |  Fortuna Benmayor 12/10/07
  49.   #32 Nik Miller 19:44  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/10/07
  50.   Free speech is one thing, poor taste is another 19:46  |  Avi 12/10/07
  51.   Nobody denies slave trade, Aztec human sacrifices. 19:48  |  Fortuna Benmayor 12/10/07
  52.   PLEASE PONDER THIS 19:53  |  Fortuna Benmayor 12/10/07
  53.   #47 Jeff 20:07  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/10/07
  54.   FREE SPEECH DOES NOT MEAN 20:58  |  Cindy 12/10/07
  55.   Lets discusss Israeli ethnic cleansing of Pals 21:33  |  Neil 12/10/07
  56.   oxford 21:38  |  michel 12/10/07
  57.   1. In UK, free speech means inciting hatred of Jews 21:40  |  KUTW 12/10/07
  58.   3. Chris Linthwaite: Oxford Union allowed to do what they want 21:44  |  KUTW 12/10/07
  59.   #47 Jeff is a typical elitist brahman from Boston 21:51  |  abd 12/10/07
  60.   Anti-Semitism is an indivisible part of the European culture. 21:53  |  a Jew 12/10/07
  61.   48.Chris Linthwaite: Freedom of speech 21:53  |  KUTW 12/10/07
  62.   Trying to Outdo Columbia`s Ahmadinejad 21:57  |  Efox 12/10/07
  63.   39John,there have been many,many genocides in history,an example 22:04  |  lakshmi 12/10/07
  64.   I WONDER? 22:08  |  Fivel 12/10/07
  65.   Maybe Lakshmi we should give honors to rapists as well 22:11  |  Jacob Blues 12/10/07
  66.   HUE AND CRY ON INVITIATION. CERTAINLY THERE IS SOMETHING TO HIDE. 22:13  |  JACKAL 12/10/07
  67.   Reality Check for Chris Linthwaite 22:17  |  Jacob Blues 12/10/07
  68.   Read your own post Chris L 22:21  |  Jacob Bluse 12/10/07
  69.   Lakshmi again waving her Jew-hatred banner 22:27  |  Jacob Blues 12/10/07
  70.   british guilt 22:33  |  Haile Wolete 12/10/07
  71.   Continued deterioration 22:40  |  Mark Lincoln 12/10/07
  72.   Kind of ironic 22:48  |  Colin Wright 12/10/07
  73.   #76 Jacob Bluse 23:10  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/10/07
  74.   Old Brit #10 23:18  |  Jane 12/10/07
  75.   #61 KUTW 23:18  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/10/07
  76.   Chris Linthwaite 23:22  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 12/10/07
  77.   Oxford Union invited him because they are close to him. 23:43  |  17 12/10/07
  78.   methinks not 23:46  |  Dame edith shapiro 12/10/07
  79.   72.Chris Linthwaite 00:08  |  KUTW 13/10/07
  80.   No Tryl, students can`t ridicule Irving, stupid ! 00:11  |  Nicolas from Paris 13/10/07
  81.   65Jacob blues,the comparison with Dr.A quite inept,but perhaps 00:16  |  lakshmi 13/10/07
  82.   Oxford Standing Up For Free Speech - Jolly Good 00:23  |  Mr. Peabody