Leeds Atheist group were planning a debate on the restrictions of free speech in the context of highly provocative media such as Geert Wilder’s film Fitna and intended to show this film as part of the debate but have been told they cannot run the event by LUU.
A debate Liberty at Leeds were planning between two Islamists and secularists on secular democracy v a religious state (feat Anjem Choudary) has also been stopped by LUU perversely under ‘a freedom of expression protocol’.
Finally a Leeds student society – Palestinian Solidarity Group – were banned by the union. The reason determined at a meeting (3 weeks after the event and without inviting PSG ) has been that they were banging on windows during a talk by an Israeli diplomat entitled “why you shouldn’t boycott Israel”.
They are prevented from hosting any talks and the ban has come at a particularly bad time for them as they were just about to host a series of talks this week for an event they had organised known as “Israeli Apartheid Week”.
Regardless of the way you feel about Israeli policy towards Palestine we hope you will attend the ‘defend the freedom to campaign event’ below to find out more. Liberty members are invited as is anyone else concerned by any recent events which stifle free speech and campaign on campus.
Source: Liberty at Leeds
Gayan
Well done for highlighting all these issues. Universities, above all, should be places that uphold the principal of freedom of speech.
Paul Thomas