U.K. rights group slams Oxford invite to Holocaust denier Irving - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Mon., November 26, 2007 Kislev 16, 5768

Israel Time: 16:42 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Rosner's Domain

Diplomacy

Defense

Jewish World

Opinion

National

Print Edition

Advertising

Books

Arts & Leisure

Business

Real Estate

Easy Start

Travel

Week's End

Anglo File



		Holocaust denier David Irving. (AP Archives)

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

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.

	Advertisement

"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

More Jewish World news and features

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Virtual diplomacy
	Peres Center to distribute computer game simulating the peace process.


	Size does matter
	A giant Israeli flag at Masada breaks world record for largest in world.




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.	D. Irving in Oxford	09:08	\|	unknown	26/11/07

82.	Oxford	09:11	\|	unknown	26/11/07

83.	Curious censorship of my post to Yosemite # 32	09:42	\|	Clickfool	26/11/07

84.	# 72, YOSEMITE	09:48	\|	indrajaya	26/11/07

85.	Natalie Durston???	09:54	\|	Ariel	26/11/07

86.	When will Oxford debate the historical Muhammad?	10:20	\|	A Jew	26/11/07

87.	#77 Gas Chamber. Yosemite	10:30	\|	Dav	26/11/07

88.	Depends on the country	12:24	\|	DJStahl	26/11/07

89.	Invite the former Iraqi information minister	12:28	\|	DJStahl	26/11/07

90.	86A jew,interesting suggestion,but be careful what you wish for!	13:41	\|	lakshmi	26/11/07

91.	#86 A JewWhen will Oxford debate the historical Muhammad?	14:56	\|	JOSH	26/11/07

92.	# unknown...Irving the Holocaust Denier..What?	15:09	\|	JOSH	26/11/07

Today Online


	Bradley Burston: Nine reasons Annapolis will succeed
	Responses: 98


	Jawad Boulous: Did Livni intend transfer of Israeli Arabs?
	Responses: 69


	PM to discuss Iran with Bush during U.S. visit
	Responses: 54


	Giant Israeli flag breaks record for largest in world
	Responses: 87

Rosner's Domain

The Rosner Annapolis reader

Between the teachers strike and the strike on Syria

Rosner's Guest: 3 things to watch in Annapolis

The 2008 candidates and the peace processes (WTR)

More Headlines
14:30 IDF strikes kill at least 4 Hamas militants in Gaza


13:33 PM to discuss Iran with Bush during U.S. visit


15:00 Hebron man gets 18 life sentences for role in Be'er Sheva bombing


16:26 Oxford Univ. girds for protests over Holocaust denier Irving


11:05 Ariel settler-city to evict Gaza settlement evacuees next year


16:09 Haredi youth arrested for sexually assaulting siblings, neighbors


16:33 Burglar savagely beats, robs elderly Jerusalem woman


10:14 J'lem sources: PM to call for road map implementation in Annapolis


08:31 Report: Syria advised by North Korean chemical arms experts