Protests halt Griffin speech at Bath university

| Friday, 11 May 2007 Source: Searchlight

Following protests by Searchlight South West and campus trade unionists, Bath University has banned the meeting at which Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, was to speak.

In a statement published on its website the university said many students had expressed fears for their safety if the BNP leader was allowed to appear. It added: "The university has now learned that a very large number of protesters intend to arrive on campus. This creates the likelihood of substantial public order problems and real possibility of disruption … making it impractical for the university to allow the event to go ahead. In the light of all these considerations the university has decided to refuse permission for the event to take place."

Griffin had been invited by Danny Lake, national organiser of the BNP's youth section and a first-year politics student at the university.

The National Union of Students has a no-platform policy for the BNP, but Bath Students' Union which is only affiliated to the NUS, is not bound by the code. It held an emergency meeting on 10 May and voted to condemn the BNP as an organisation and to oppose the initial decision by the university to allow Griffin to speak.

Earlier 11 union general secretaries wrote to the university's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Glynis Breakwell, calling on her to reconsider her decision.

Sally Hunt, joint general secretary of the University and College Union, welcomed the university's U-turn: "We feel this is the correct decision. Allowing the BNP to speak would have compromised the safety of staff and students and sent out a very worrying message about Bath University's commitment to diversity.

"The millions of staff and students who cherish academic freedom … deplore the presence in an institution of learning of Nick Griffin."

Paul Jaggers, president of Bath Students' Union, said the decision "sends a clear message that students do not want the BNP on university campuses".

Searchlight SW had called for trade unionists and others to send messages to Professor Breakwell objecting to the event and to protest outside the BNP meeting on the evening of 14 May.

Now that the Griffin meeting is off, trade unionists and anti-fascists can all attend the protest at the Corsham Town Council meeting, which is holding its first meeting since the election at 7.30pm on 14 May. Mick Simpkins, the BNP councillor elected unopposed, has announced that he will attend. We urge trade unions to organise a presence at this meeting to ensure that the BNP get the message that we will not tolerate them or their racist policies in our region.

Further details from searchlightsouthwest@tuc.org.uk.