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Real History and the Traditional Enemies of Free Speech Posted Friday, January 18, 2002 some traditional enemies of Free Speech: Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of B’nai Brith, USA Anti-Nazi League Australian Government Australian B’nai Brith Anti-Defamation Commission Board of Deputies of British Jews Center for Democratic Renewal, Atlanta Canadian Jewish Congress Canadian League of Human Rights of the B’nai Brith Coalition for Human Dignity, Oregon Community Security Trust of Board of

Deputies German Government Jewish Telegraph Agency Searchlight and Gerald Gable Simon Wiesenthal Center Surfwatch Internet censorship Alphabetical index (text) We have to balance freedom of speech with the level of concern and security problems.

We are discussing this with the police. — Nottingham University officials Friday, January 25, 2002 Police consulted over security concerns for meeting Students are urged not to extend Irving invitation by Bernard Josephs NOTTINGHAM University officials and Jewish students were consulting police this week over potential security implications if the student union follows through with plans to invite Holocaust revisionist David Irving to address its debating society.

In the spotlight: David Irving during his High Court libel action against American academic Deborah Lipstadt (File photo: JOHN NATHAN) The consultations came as pressure mounted on both the university and student leaders to cancel the meeting, at which Mr. Irving would speak on “The difficulty of writing the history of the Third Reich.”

Protests came from the Board of Deputies , the Nottingham-based Beth Shalom Holocaust study centre, the Holocaust Educational Trust and Nottingham Hebrew Congregation’s Rabbi Moshe Perez . Beth Shalom director Dr James Smith said that the student union “should be ashamed.” In a letter to the union, Board director-general Neville Nagler declared that the “only people who would derive any benefit from such a meeting are those who share Irving’s twisted view of history.”

An HET spokesperson voiced “astonishment” that the students would want “to open their doors to a man who calls the Holocaust a fraud.” Rabbi Perez told the JC of his concern that inviting Mr. Irving would “destroy the good relations which we have built between all kinds of people in Nottingham.” A university spokesman said it would “not wish to override” union plans. “We have to balance freedom of speech with the level of concern and security problems.

We are discussing this with the police,” he said. Student union general secretary Jim Vine said that the union had been involved in “informal talks” with Mr. Irving over the event.

But he said that no “formal invitation” had yet been issued Relevant items on this website: Jan 18: Jewish students oppose plan for Nottingham meeting | Irving’s “freedom” The above news item is reproduced without editing other than typographical Register your name and address to go on the Mailing List to receive 2002