Might spark protests which might spark physical violence

This again. University of Bristol Free Speech Society:

We are saddened to inform you that due to Student Union bureaucracy we have been forced to cancel the invitation we extended to Angelos Sofocleous to be on our panel discussion on free speech. We have given the SU plenty of notice for this event. But they felt it proper to cancel his attendance in the last minute, citing “security concerns”. For context, Angelos is a full time student at Durham University who lives amongst students on campus. We leave it to the public to reach their own conclusions with regards to the SU’s intentions.

In the government’s guidance for students on free speech released last year it states, “Students should not be deterred from organising events due to over-bureaucratic procedures”. Ironically, the first question we intended to put before our panel – ‘is there a problem with free speech on campus?’ – has been answered for us loud and clear.

Our event will still be going ahead with the other panellists and will be open for students as well as to the public. We encourage anyone who cares about free speech to turn up to show their support for the cause. Tickets are free, but mandatory.

We are happy to give statements to the press. Message us on our page.

That “citing ‘security concerns'” is an especially nice touch. What security concerns? The ones about the rumpus we will raise if you don’t cancel the invitation to Sofocleous. We know there will be a fuss because we will create one. Nice little place you got here, would be a shame if you provoked me into smashing it up.

Angelos comments:

https://twitter.com/Sofocleous_A/status/1094631188789149696

Which, being interpreted, means not so much that his appearance might spark anything, as that people there would see to it that his appearance met with boisterous opposition. If opposition is boisterous enough it can be said to be a security concern, and boom, there’s your pretext for telling this person whose ideas you dislike to stay away.

6 Responses to “Might spark protests which might spark physical violence”