“I’ve no doubt but that if they had got into the lecture theatre. we would have had a riot on our hands,” said one senior garda, who confirmed that one man was arrested for public order offences.
Gardaí advised college security that they feared for people’s safety if the lecture went ahead and college security chiefs then instructed the organisers of the Philosophical debate to cancel it.
Among the many protesters were members of the Socialist Party. Socialist Workers Movement, Anti-Nazi League, Workers Party and Sinn Féin. Many carried placards proclaiming, “No Free Speech for Nazis”,
However, the society’s auditor, Mr. Stephen Vaughan, afterwards expressed disappointment that protesters had forced the cancellation of the lecture and claimed their actions had endangered lives.
But Mr. Richard Boyd Barrett, of the Anti-Nazi League, welcomed the cancellation of the lecture.
If you write to a newspaper don’t forget: 1. keep it short; and 2. add your mail address and a daytime telephone number; they will not print it otherwise.
FEW WRITERS have the self-confidence to promote their own work with an 'endorsement' like this.[]PoliticosDecember (?) 2002DECEPTION AND DECEITJulian Lewis...