Heightened Racial Tension Stops Debate
IN THE FACE of threats of violent demonstrations, and grave warnings from Thames Valley Police, the Oxford Union has been forced to cancel its controversial debate featuring BNP leader John Tyndall. The meeting, due to be held in fourth week, discussing the motion 'This house believes that racism is inevitable,' was originally planned as a joint effort between OUSU and the Union. OUSU pulled out of the venture, after an emergency meeting last Thursday night decided theywoiuld have to withdraw as they "could not guarantee the safety of the event."
The Oxford Student, has learnt that staff in the OUSU offices have since been warned by the security services to check all packages coming into the building and instructed on how to detect semtex, following the recent racist bomb attacks in London. The Oxford Union also has stepped up security in their premises, closing the Frewin Court entrance and posting security guards at the main entrance to check membership cards during the day.
The Anti Nazi League had threatened a "huge" picket of the debate with the intention of stopping the event going ahead. The threats have prompted concerns that Oxford could provide a new focus for the recent spiral of racial tension. With fears of angry confrontations between ANL campaigners and BNP supporters on St. Michael's Street and Cornmarket, Thames Valley Police informed Union President, Nicky Black, that they could not provide a "uniformed presence" inside the Union Premises.
At a special meeting of the Union Standing Committee on Monday evening, the President read a short press release from Superintendent Bunce of the Oxford Police. The statement said the Union could expect "social disorder of a racial nature" in the area surrounding the chamber, and "in view of recent explosions in London, it may be inappropriate to proceed with this debate at this time."
Michael Newland from the British National Party was angered by the Union's decision. He told the Oxford Student, "Whatever you think about race and immigration you should be allowed to discuss these issues freely, especially in a place as eminently respectable as the Oxford Union. As usual threats of violence from the left have hampered the debate. It is high time society stood up to these people."
The Oxford Student had exclusive access to the Standing Committee meeting on Monday evening . The committee heard that Thames Valley Police were not prepared to foot the bill for security at the event. Union sources estimated that the bill for securing the premises, the advice of explosive experts, erecting a barrier between rival protestors and insuring over twenty officers and the forty members of staff, could amount to a "five figure sum".
One Union officer said, "I think it would be utterly irresponsible to hold this debate. At the moment it is ludicrous to go ahead. There will be riots on the streets and glass flying through the air."
Others argued, that the debate was at the heart of the Union's central principle of freedom of speech. One committee member said, "we have such a wide variety of responsibilities: to the town, to the university, to the members, but most of all, we have a responsibility to uphold our tradition of freedom of speech....The more pressure we face, the greater the need is for this debate to go ahead. If we wait until a time when this issue is less volatile would there be any point in discussing it then?"
While some argued that the Union invited speakers like Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams at the height of the IRA campaign, it was decided that the threat of violence resulting from this event was potentially more serious. One Union official said, "we cannot sit here and talk about precedents, this is a unique situation, we have never had anything quite like this before." The debate focused on the question of whether, as one Union officer put it, "cancelling due to safety considerations was not just another way of saying the Union was giving in to force."
One Officer added, "we are instigating a situation in which tensions, which are incredibly high will clash and we must take responsibility for that." After an impassioned debate from both sides, the committee finally voted, by seven votes to four, to call off the debate.
OUSU President, Josh Bell, expressed relief at the Union's decision. He said, "I think the Union has made an absolutely correct decision. There was no way the debate could be carried off safely in light of police recommendations and I think that they were left with no choice but to cancel."
The Anti Nazi League said that they had been, "horrified to hear" that Tyndall had been invited in the first place. A spokesperson said, " He's a Nazi. The idea of giving him a platform is mad at any time and particularly at this time." While it is likely his views would be dismissed by most, "it only takes one or two to plant a nailbomb." The ANL said it was "excellent" that the debate had been cancelled saying that "following recent events they didn't have much choice. Public opinion was against holding the debate."
Sandy Starr, President of the Stand UP for Free Speech Campaign, hit back saying "the emotional climate created by the tragic bombings of recent weeks should not be used as a pretext to deny freedom of speech. It is a fundamental democratic principle whose value is not diminished by circumstances. Starr continued, "to deny a platform to racists is to deny that racists views can be countered with valid argument."
It is understood that the controversy surrounding the debate has prompted some to call on OUSU to pass a no-platforms policy for speakers from organisations deemed to be racist or dangerous. The Oxford Union, however, has moved to affirm its own position on the subject, a spokesperson said it, "maintains its belief against no-platform policies. Refusing to listen to people with controversial views does not make for a better society."
A brief statement, drafted later by a group of Union officers, said, "This is not a victory for those who objected to the principle of extending an invitation to Mr. Tyndall, rather it is a sad day for all those who believe that violence has no part to play in a modern society." The officers conceded, however, that allowing the debate to proceed might risk, "opening a Pandora's box of violent confrontation on the streets of Oxford."
While the potential focus of any violent confrontation has been removed by the cancellation of the debate, both OUSU and the Union are keeping up their guard. One Senior Officer at the Standing Committee meeting "whether you hold the debate or not, there will be a backlash." The Union plan to maintain the new stricter door policy for the forseeable future.