Jchron 211207

Real History and the Traditional Enemies of Free Speech The Posted Friday, December 21, 2007 Index to the Traditional Enemies of Free Speech Alphabetical index (text) origins of anti-semitism Irving has threatened to sue the Jewish Chronicle if it calls him an active Holocaust denier.

London, Friday, December 20, 2007 Spanish police study Irving speech By Bernard Josephs and Dana Gloger SPANISH police were this week examining a recording of a speech by revisionist historian David Irving , condemned by a British High Court judge [ Website Note: eight years ago ] as a Holocaust denier, after the Jewish community failed to have him banned from speaking in Barcelona.

Under Spanish law, justifying genocide or inciting racism and xenophobia can carry a sentence of up to three years. Police were authorised by a judge to examine Irving’s words to see if he had broken the law in his speech at a bookshop last Saturday. According to agency reports, he told his audience of about 20 [ Website Note: who managed to get through the police cordons, plus 100 journalists ] that there was no proof that Hitler was aware of the Holocaust.

But, he said, there was no doubt that the Nazis killed “two or three million” Jews. During his speech, about 100 people protested outside the bookshop which was guarded by police.

Dahliah Levinsohn , secretary of the Federation of Jewish communities in Spain, said: “The Federation asked the High Court to cancel Irving’s talk, as we thought there could be acts of incitement to racism and antisemitism. “Although it [the court] did not cancel the conference, Catalan police were present and the court issued them with an official order to enter and record the talk. “He [Irving] was very careful not to negate the Holocaust, precisely because the Catalan police were there.

Now the police will analyse the talk and see if something comes up.” In 2006 Irving was sentenced by an Austrian court to three years in prison for Holocaust denial but was released after serving one-third of his sentence [ Website Note: after over 400 days in solitary confinement, precisely one year ago today ] . He was due this week is to take part in a BBC World Service programme.

He was to be among “eight gagged individuals &emdash; people banned from speaking because of their beliefs or work”, said a BBC spokesperson. Irving has threatened to sue the JC if it calls him an “active Holocaust denier”. Website Note:

On December 7, 2007 , this newspaper reported: “In October, Irving threatened to sue the JC for calling him an active Holocaust denier. He has not carried out this threat.” They are no longer able to say so.

David Irving’s Books The Deborah Lipstadt Libel action David Irving: A Radical’s Diary on free speech in Barcelona : I manage to speak at Barcelona, while police film: to 100 journalists, and a few friends | Communists riot to stop Mr Irving speaking | police block streets | more The above item is reproduced without editing other than typographical Register your name and address to go on the Mailing List to receive or to hear when and where he will next speak near you 2007