David Irving (Fascist and Holocaust denier) to speak at NUIG

galway | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Sunday January 25, 2009 18:33 by Socialist Society NUIG - Socialist Party socialist at socs dot nuigalway dot ie

David Irving has been invited to speak at NUI Galway's Literary and Debating Society.

The fascist and Holocaust denier David Irving has been invited by the Literary and Debating Society (Lit & Deb) to attend a debate at NUI Galway on the 19th March.

The invitation was granted after an initial debate last Thursday as to whether Irving would be allowed speak. A vote was held after this debate, with the result: 100 for and 63 against inviting Irving.

It is unclear whether it was Lit & Deb who approached Irving or if it was Irving who offered to speak. If it was Irving's offer, it shows how intent he is to speak, especially on prestigious university platforms. In March 2008, the UCC Philosoph invited Irving but the debate was cancelled due to protests and the campaigning of the Stop Irving Campaign (see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/86405).

Unlike UCC, this debate will focus directly on Irving's views on the Holocaust, not just free speech. The motion will probably be of the form: 'That This House believes the Holocaust happened'. This title makes it even easier for Irving to cut straight to his anti-Semitic, racist and Fascist views and more worryingly to use these views to recruit to the Fascist cause.

Other significant developments since the UCC event have been the economic crisis, deepening disillusionment with the mainstream political parties and the recent Israel-Gaza conflict. Each of these, in their own way, will be an assist to Irving and his Fascist supporters.

At the debate, the Socialist Society (with other socialists and anarchists) argued that Irving should not be given a platform for his views, especially a prestigious platform where his views could be seen as respectable or credible.

Over the coming weeks, the Socialist Society in NUIG along with the Galway branch of the Socialist Party will seek to build a campaign of all those affected by the visit of Irving. And on March 19th, we will be calling for all anti-fascist activists to travel to Galway to resist Irving's visit.

This Fascist recruiter must not be allowed to speak and build in our city!

An extended statement will follow this announcement in the next few days.