Hundreds of protestors, including local students, trade union members and anti-fascists, are expected to attend a rally Sunday protesting the appearance last week of Holocaust denier David Irving at Oxford University's Debating Society Free Speech Forum.
A storm of protest has followed the appearances by Irving and his debate partner, far-right politician Nick Griffin. Irving is a self-styled historian convicted in Austria last year of denying the existence of Nazi death camp gas chambers. Griffin, who leads the far-right British National Party, was convicted in 1998 in Britain of incitement to racial hatred. The two debated the topic of free speech.
Holding the Irving-Griffin debate has brought a storm of protest to the campus of the venerable institution, although a poll of the students prior to the event showed support for the decision; 1,062 students supported the group's decision to extend invitations to Irving and Griffin, and 640 opposed.
In response, Shadow Defense Minister and Tory Minister of Parliament Julian Lewis, a Conservative, resigned his life membership in the Oxford Union, where the debate was held.
In addition, British Defense Secretary Des Browne, Labor Parliament Member Austin Mitchell and other lawmakers canceled future appearances at debating society events in protest of the club's decision to invite Irving to speak.
Britain's Equality and Human Rights Commission also condemned the university's student organization for inviting Irving to appear. Jewish and Muslim societies at the university, rarely united on political issues, put their differences aside long enough for both to oppose the invitation as well.