Protest Against Griffin In TCD

by Brian O'Reilly - Anti-Fascist Action Fri Oct 14, 2011 15:33

Anti-Fascist Action welcomed the decision today of Trinity's Philosophical Society to withdraw the invitation to Nick Griffin, leader of the far-right British National Party (BNP), who was due to speak at a debate entitled 'This House Believes That Immigration Has Gone Too Far' next Thursday 20th October.

Far-right organisers like Griffin do not come to speak at universities or elsewhere to engage in polite debate. They use these occasions as a platform to help spread their racist, homophobic, anti-immigrant and anti-Trade Union views. As such, militant anti-fascists will always deny fascists a platform.

A spokeswoman for Trinity said the invite had been withdrawn after staff and students objected to the visit of Griffin, a holocaust denier who has been involved in far-right politics in England since the late 1970s. Last night, 13th October, thirty AFA members and supporters called into the weekly PhilSoc debate, as part of a campaign against Griffin’s invitation. We feel that this proved to be the tipping point for PhilSoc and the college authorities to withdraw the invitation.

This direct action was the culmination of a number of weeks work by AFA which included a mass email campaign, the production of several hundred stickers and the setting up of a Facebook page, entitled 'No Platform For Nazi Nick Griffin in Dublin', which attracted over 580 people.

AFA, who have been active in confronting fascism for nearly twenty years, have always adopted the dual strategy of both physical and political opposition when confronting fascism whether Irish or International, group or individual.

Lastly, we would also like to commend the broad based Trinity Against Fascism group who also did important organising against the planned visit, particularly on campus.

by No Pasaran Fri Oct 14, 2011 06:52

"he'll be begging to return to the mainland"

Sums up the Tory kids of Trinity Phil. Wankers.

by Mossin Nagant - AFA Thu Oct 13, 2011 22:53

Let's stifle free speech, and all turn into fascists ourselves. I think people need to cop on a bit and have a modicum of common sense. Yes Griffin is a right wing hypocrite, but is waving banners and blowing whistles and behaving like teenagers going to expose his views? I prefer to listen to idiots like this and then refute them, hit them with a barrage of facts and leave them looking daft. Give me an hour on stage with Griffin and he'll be begging to return to the mainland.

Griffins poison is not free speech it is fascist shit stirring, naive tools laying a red carpet for fascists thinking they can "defeat" them with debate are useful idiots to the likes of Griffin. You really believe your smug intellect will drive fascism back to the sewer? Give them an hour with you in some back steeet after winning your silly debate and you'll find out who'll be begging to return to what west brit little shits call the "mainland".

by Pip Thu Oct 13, 2011 13:35

We are not fascists because we oppose fascists. If fascists are planning an attack on immigrants and we attack them first, does that make us as bad as them?

Griffin has convictions for racist attacks.

I don't think the big pharma companies should be able to shout you down because they have big money.

Equally I don't think that TCD Philosophical Society should be able to use taxpayers money to bring a fascist to speak in Dublin.

by Damien M - PharmaWatch Thu Oct 13, 2011 13:17

Great!
Let's stifle free speech, and all turn into fascists ourselves. I think people need to cop on a bit and have a modicum of common sense. Yes Griffin is a right wing hypocrite, but is waving banners and blowing whistles and behaving like teenagers going to expose his views? I prefer to listen to idiots like this and then refute them, hit them with a barrage of facts and leave them looking daft. Give me an hour on stage with Griffin and he'll be begging to return to the mainland.

by Brian O'Reilly Thu Oct 13, 2011 12:47

There will also be a picket on the front gates of Trinity at 3pm on Saturday, the 15th for those who can't make it on Friday. Please publicise widely and try to attend on at least one of the days.