Rally planned at Oxford against Le Pen
Activists in Oxford are preparing to protest the visit on Thursday afternoon of the French far-right leader Marine Le Pen for a speech at the University of Oxford.
At least 200 people are expected to participate in the rally before Le Pen’s speech which is scheduled to be held in the Oxford Union Society Debating Chamber at 5 p.m. local time.
The speech by France’s Front National has been met with fierce opposition by students who believe that she not be given a platform. They cite her "Islamophobia" as a reason she should not be allowed to speak.
"Giving a platform to fascist and racist speakers only promotes and legitmises racism and fascism in wider society," Oxford Unite Against Fascism said in a statement on their Facebook page.
"The Union must reverse the decision to invite this notorious Islamophobe," added Unite Against Fascism's Weyman Bennett, as reported by The Independent.
Le Pen provoked outrage in early January after using the attacks on the Paris office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to launch attacks on Muslims and immigrants.
Critics of her far right party accuse it of being deeply racist, with pro-Nazi sympathies. In 2010, Marine Le Pen compared Muslims praying in the street to the wartime occupation of France.
JAS/AA
Extreme poverty rate soars in UK: Report
Over 80 arrested in protest outside London jail for Palestine Action hunger striker
UK NGOs demand government to halt all arms exports to Israeli regime
VIDEO | The official opening of Rafah Crossing
VIDEO | Iran prepared for equitable dialogue
VIDEO | Released to die: Medical neglect kills former Palestinian prisoner
VIDEO | Iran’s Islamic Revolution continues to send message of resilience across region
Iranian drone successfully completes mission in intl. waters amid reports of US sabotage
Gaza Civil Defense collapses as Israeli fuel blockade halts all emergency operations
UN Chief warns Israel’s E1 settlement plans threaten Palestinian statehood
Russia warns of military measures if US deploys weapons in Greenland
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
