UCC Philosoph to debate Griffin visit

UCC’s flagship debating society, the UCC Philosoph, is to hold a debate on whether BNP leader Nick Griffin should be afforded a platform at UCC next Monday.

The society, headed by auditor John Beechinor, said that the debate was not a question of arguing the propriety of the UCC Government and Politics Society’s decision to invite Griffin to campus, but a discussion on the parameters of the right to free speech, and whether Griffin’s invitation had crossed that line.

Griffin — who has previously faced Crown prosecution for alleged incitement to racism charges — was controversially invited by the UCC Government and Politics Society after having been turned down by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) after the university said that it could not insure students’ safety at the event.

>> BNP’s Nick Griffin given go-ahead to speak at UCC
>> BNP chief went to Gardaí after TCD turned him down

The debate is to be entitled ‘Should Nick Griffin Be Allowed To Speak at UCC?” and will take place in UCC next Monday; the event is open to the general public.

A number of UCC societies, including the college’s branch of the Labour Youth party, have already outlined their opposition to the planned visit.

Dean Duke, chair of UCC Labour Youth, told TheJournal.ie that the society would boycott the Government and Politics Societies efforts to have Griffin attend.

Griffin has previously said that he may be Britain’s ‘most hated man’. Previous controversial quotes include anti-immigrant positions, rhetoric deemed to be ‘anti gay’, and Holocaust denial.

By DONAL MACHENRY

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