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Last update - 18:06 25/11/2007
U.K. rights group slams Oxford invite to Holocaust denier Irving
By The Associated Press
Tags: U.K., Oxford University 

The head of Britain's Equality and Human Rights Commission condemned Oxford University's debating society Sunday for inviting convicted Holocaust denier David Irving to speak at Monday forum.

Protests are expected Monday when Irving attends the Free Speech Forum, along with Nick Griffin, leader of Britain's far-right British National Party. The BNP has opposed immigration and been accused of promoting race riots in northern England between whites and South Asian immigrants.

Trevor Phillips, chairman of Britain's Equality and Human Rights Commission, said Irving never should have been invited.
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"I think it is an absolute disgrace. As a former president of the National Union of Students, I'm ashamed that this has happened," Phillips told British Broadcasting Corp. television. "This is not a question of freedom of speech; this is a juvenile provocation."

He said students at Oxford were supposed to be brilliant, and he appealed for them to "put your brains back in your head."

Phillips said people did not "fight and die for the right to freedom of speech only for it to be used as a silly parlor game."

Last week, British Defense Secretary Des Browne and at least three other lawmakers canceled appearances at Oxford University's 182-year-old debating society because of the Irving invitation. They were not invited to attend Monday's event, but were scheduled to speak before the union on other days.

Despite the officials' opposition, the Oxford Union debating society members voted to allow Irving and Griffin to speak.

Martin McCluskey, president of the Oxford Student Union, said it was disgraceful the pair were being given the same platform as past speakers at the debating society such as Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. The move also was opposed by Oxford University's Muslim and Jewish societies.

But the Oxford Union debating society said it was important to give people of all views a platform to speak.

Luke Tryl, its president, said, "They will be speaking in the context of a forum in which there will be other speakers to challenge and attack their views in a head-to-head manner."

Related articles:
Oxford Union reportedly invited Holocaust denier Irving to speak
David Irving: Jews should ask themselves why they are hated
Holocaust denier David Irving returns to England from Austrian jail

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  1.   Brittish universities this lousy in general? 17:55  |  Johnny 25/11/07
  2.   Bigots at Ox 18:01  |  Esther 25/11/07
  3.   The anti-free speech people are more dangerous 18:05  |  Natallie Durson 25/11/07
  4.   dangerous 18:45  |  realism 25/11/07
  5.   Why don`t they also invite someone who Muslims condier offensive? 18:56  |  Dan 25/11/07
  6.   good guy 18:57  |  wh 25/11/07
  7.   How can you argue with nutters? 18:58  |  Albert Seligman 25/11/07
  8.   natallie 18:59  |  wh 25/11/07
  9.   #5 Dan, Muslims and Jews are BNP targets 19:12  |  Boycott 25/11/07
  10.   `persuasive point` of Holocaust deniers - Natallie 19:24  |  BC 25/11/07
  11.   This is free speech? 19:33  |  Joseph 25/11/07
  12.   Dan #5 19:35  |  Tom C 25/11/07
  13.   Why not invite... 19:36  |  Ben Azai 25/11/07
  14.   British Intellectuals Antisemitic: enjoy hurting Jews 19:37  |  Liliane 25/11/07
  15.   #3 persuasive point 19:41  |  PG 25/11/07
  16.   5 out of 10 pro-Irvin talkbacks. Way to go, Haaretz! 19:49  |  A Jew 25/11/07
  17.   Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of democracy 19:53  |  Clickfool 25/11/07
  18.   Boycott, Dan is absolutely correct 19:53  |  David Israel 25/11/07
  19.   #3 I`ll call your bluff 20:11  |  Gili 25/11/07
  20.   Ntallie Durson jumping on anti-Israel and anti-Semitic bandwagon 20:14  |  Marwan مروان خوري 25/11/07
  21.   Oxford invites Holocaust denier 20:22  |  khader herzallah 25/11/07
  22.   Oxford University is not a sign of brains 21:15  |  Mike 25/11/07
  23.   For Mike # 22 21:33  |  Clickfool 25/11/07
  24.   re #13 `Why not invite...` 21:34  |  Colin Wright 25/11/07
  25.   For khader herzallah # 21 21:42  |  Clickfool 25/11/07
  26.   Ox Ford 21:58  |  the Teacher 25/11/07
  27.   EISENHOWER WAS RIGHT 22:00  |  TOBIA 25/11/07
  28.   Fig leaf gone 22:10  |  ron 25/11/07
  29.   Double standard? 22:42  |  W 25/11/07
  30.   BNP are far more anti muslim than anti Jew 22:55  |  Greg 25/11/07
  31.   #18 David Israel 23:04  |  Boycott 25/11/07
  32.   David Irving The Beast 666 23:04  |  Yosemite 25/11/07
  33.   Khader Herzallah 23:15  |  Albert Seligman 25/11/07
  34.   two peas in the same pond? 23:19  |  Albert Seligman 25/11/07
  35.   W 23:23  |  Albert Seligman 25/11/07
  36.   gili 15 23:45  |  realism 25/11/07
  37.   Why not invite a Mohammad Defiler? 23:54  |  Ofer 25/11/07
  38.   bacon faces 23:58  |  Hague 25/11/07
  39.   Politics of Hate and Fear given platform at Oxford Union 00:04  |  Freedom Liberty 26/11/07
  40.   Ox ford 00:05  |  the Teacher 26/11/07
  41.   #25 Clickfool the bible student 00:08  |  Dec 26/11/07
  42.   the fool that thinks he clicks 00:19  |  Don`tfoolme 26/11/07
  43.   What drag Muslims into this?! 00:21  |  Mahdi 26/11/07
  44.   khader herzallah - This is not about freedom of speech 00:25  |  David Israel 26/11/07
  45.   Re # 33-Albert Seliman 00:28  |  khader herzallah 26/11/07
  46.   I might not agree 00:47  |  Chris Linthwaite 26/11/07
  47.   #19 some bluff 00:55  |  wh 26/11/07
  48.   when will they host.... 00:59  |  Jewish State 26/11/07
  49.   Ritual abuse 01:05  |  Blogowitz 26/11/07
  50.   David Irving has zig zagged in his views,first he denied the 01:35  |  lakshmi 26/11/07
  51.   #46 Chris Lintwaithe 01:47  |  Labhras 26/11/07
  52.   People really do seem to be missing the point. 01:54  |  Deborah 26/11/07
  53.   DENIAL? 02:01  |  PADDY 26/11/07
  54.   pathetic 02:44  |  edgar 26/11/07
  55.   Hate Speech Is Not Free Speech 02:57  |  dyinglikeflies 26/11/07
  56.   This is one way to combat anti-Semitism 02:58  |  Pssd Off American 26/11/07
  57.   IRVING WITH RUSHDIE WILL BE GOOD 03:55  |  indrajaya 26/11/07
  58.   dyinglikeflies 55 04:02  |  realism 26/11/07
  59.   # 51 Chirs Linthwaite,.Invite them all and Be done With it.. 04:19  |  Fed-up 26/11/07
  60.   # 46 Chris..addendum let them all in.The Good,Bad and the UGLY 04:28  |  Fed-Up 26/11/07
  61.   #49 BLOGOWITZ...The humanitarian! 04:59  |  PADDY 26/11/07
  62.   ACourt proven liar.Just about the right level for Oxford 05:09  |  PETER SM 26/11/07
  63.   To 58. "realism "(not) 05:17  |  dyinglikeflies 26/11/07
  64.   Holocaust denial=Holocaust wish 05:23  |  Judith 26/11/07
  65.   #1 Johnny 06:29  |  Softwalker 26/11/07
  66.   #3 Natallie 06:40  |  Softwalker 26/11/07
  67.   #33 Albert Seligman 07:34  |  Joe 26/11/07
  68.   Naturally, haters of Israel (Natalie, clickfool) support Irving`s 07:39  |  Steve Randolph 26/11/07
  69.   To the Editors . . . Always the same 08:02  |  Gideon 26/11/07
  70.   PADDY.Re lies&distortions.Irwing tried them all.He lost in court. 08:12  |  PETER SM 26/11/07
  71.   #61 For Paddy The Moron Read! 08:20  |  Yosemite 26/11/07
  72.   Holocaust deniers aren`t interested in truth or facts 08:28  |  Arthur 26/11/07
  73.   #56 Pssd Off American....I AGREE, 100% 08:29  |  PADDY 26/11/07
  74.   The blacks were never enslaved 08:35  |  Hastaroth 26/11/07
  75.   #67 Joe,do you happen to have Jewish friends,too? 08:37  |  Hastaroth 26/11/07
  76.   #64 That`s right,Judith 08:42  |  Hastaroth 26/11/07
  77.   "Seven Gas Chambers At Auschwitz" 08:42  |  Yosemite 26/11/07
  78.   for Peter SM or perhaps one of the Muslim Doctors 09:00  |  Ari ben Yisrael 26/11/07
  79.   D. Irving in Oxford 09:02  |  unknown 26/11/07
  80.   D. Irving in Oxford 09:02  |  unknown 26/11/07
  81.