University is accused of censoring anti-Semitic Islam lecture

Sean O’Neill

The University of Leeds was accused of infringing free speech last night when it cancelled a lecture on “Islamic anti-Semitism” by a German academic.

Matthias Köntzel arrived at the university yesterday morning to begin a three-day programme of lectures and seminars, but was told that it had been called off on “security grounds”.

Dr Köntzel, a political scientist who has lectured around the world on the antiSemitic ideology of Islamist groups, told The Times there were concerns that he would be attacked. He said that he was “outraged” that his meetings had been cancelled and had yet to receive an explanation.

The lecture, entitled “Hitler’s Legacy: Islamic antiSemitism in the Middle East”, was organised by the university’s German department and publicised three weeks ago. A large attendance had been expected

“I have lectured in lots of countries on this subject. I gave the same talk at Yale University recently, and this is the first time I have been invited to lecture in the UK. Nothing like this has ever happened before – this is censorship.
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How sad we have become, free speech and the right to say what you feel is dead, this is even more mournful when you consider that this censorship took place in a University, a place where open mindedness is supposed to prevail, a place where open discussion is supposed to happen, a place where debate, dissemination of information leading to an informed outcome - is supposed to happen.

Clearly there is one British University that does not appear tp practice this, this is against all the principles of a University education or any education system, this "institution" should be stripped of the tittle "University".

Think back to the enlightenment, Voltiare said: "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the end your right to say it".

Today he would be turning in his grave

Gandalf