Students to protest as BNP leader speaks

A students’
activist group is to stage a protest at Trinity College next month to coincide
with a visit by a controversial British politician.

The Socialist
Worker Student Society is organising a

“protest against fascism

? outside the
college on October 20 when British Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin
is due to take part in a debate.

Mr Griffin has
been invited to take part in the debate entitled,

‘This house believes that
immigration has gone too far’ by the Philosophy Society in Trinity College.

It is understood
that Mr Griffin will speak in support of the motion.

His scheduled
appearance at the debate prompted the Socialist Worker Student Society to call
on the Philosophical Society to withdraw the invitation.

Madeleine
Johansson, a spokesperson for the society, is also a member of the Anti Racism
Network.

She is currently
trying to raise support for the protest.

“It will be a
general march against fascism,

? she said.

“The protest will not be about him
getting a platform or not

“My personal
belief is that he shouldn’t be allowed to speak but we want everyone who is
against racism and fascism to come to the protest.

“It is being
organised by several different groups,

? she added.

“I am in the anti racism network, which is
part of it and then there are a few societies and Labour Youth who have
provisionally said they will support it as well as the Muslim Association in
Trinity.

?

A spokesman for
the Philosophical Society at TCD said:

“The Phil is a neutral forum for
discussion. We do not endorse the views of any of our speakers. Nick Griffin
has been invited to speak solely on immigration. He is a prominent speaker on
this issue. The debate will be balanced with two guest speakers on each side of
the motion.”

Southside People
contacted the BNP head office in London but there was nobody available for
comment.

On the BNP
website last week, the party’s media spokesman, Simon Darby, said that by
opposing Mr Griffin’s involvement in the debate, minority groups were
attempting to take advantage of the situation.

“Expecting the
traditional and trademark

‘liberal fascist assault against free speech’, we now
find participants dropping out like flies, and minority ethno-centric groups
positioning themselves to take advantage,

? he said.

“The fact that a
straightforward debate, ostensibly critical of mass immigration, can cause such
controversy should alert anyone with the capability of reasoned thought outside
the box to the very crux of the matter.

?

He added:

“This
is the undemocratic and totalitarian mind cancer packaged as liberal tolerance
that has almost put the peoples of Western Europe, the Irish included, on the
endangered list.

?

Meanwhile, it
was reported last week that another speaker who had agreed to oppose the motion
withdrew after he learned that Mr Griffin would be participating in the debate.