Oxford: Student Protests

BY SIMON WILLIAMS PICTURES BY SIMON WILLIAMS Hundreds of protesters surrounded Oxford University's Union to voice their disapproval of two extreme right speakers presence at a debate.

More than 250 Jewish students from across the United Kingdom joined fellow protesters from Birmingham, Bristol, London and other universities.

The Union had invited BNP (British National Party) leader Nick Griffin; whose party wants to see mass deportation of citizens who are not regarded as British by the party. Griffin was to share his platform with historian, David Irving who believes that Hitler did not push the order for the mass genocide of some six million Jews along with gays, gypsies under the ruling Nazi party.

Protesters chanted "Shame on you" as the union building welcomed its guests as the evening went on the road outside the union filled up with protesters from across the country.

Many students joined the protest from across the country. "If you really believe in something you should stand up for it" said Joanne Grainger of The University of Birmingham. T

he President of the Oxford Union, Luke Tryl whose university faced a lock in to enable the event to go ahead said, "David Irving and Nick Griffin have awful and abhorrent views" but suggested the only way forward was through debate.

"Students who attended the protest showed the likes of Irving and Griffin that people do not want to hear these racists views" said Alex Totten, Anti-Racist and Fascist Officer at The University of Birmingham.

"It was amazing to see Jews from across the country together with other faiths standing up against fascism and Holocaust denial" said Yoni Amias, Jewish Society Chair. The University of Birmingham.

The protesters managed to delay the debate and made their presence known.