Speakers’ Corner criticised
The proctors are to investigate Oxford University Speakers’ Corner after the group’s inaugural meeting took place on university land without the permission of the Proctors’ Office. The group first met this Sunday in Radcliffe Square with around 60 people attending, but a university spokesperson said that no permission had been requested from the university.
Fahim Alam, the St John’s student who organised the venture, had attempted to contact Oxford City Council to obtain permission for Speaker’s Corner to take place but received no response. Heiko Khoo, who is a regular speaker at Hyde Park and drafted the Speakers’ Corner Charter, described the Oxford version as, “a very interesting development, along with some similar initiatives that seem to be springing up around the world.
Alam said he hopes to bring guest speakers to Oxford once its Speakers’ Corner has been established. Alam admitted that no provisions have been made for potentially inflammatory or bigoted speakers. He insisted, “It is not my place to restrict what people talk about… If they are breaking the law [with their remarks] then they will be arrested, but it is likely the crowd would shout them down before it got that far.
26th Jan 2006