Free from hate: Jewish students stand up against Finkelstein, Atzmon and Griffin, and all in the same week!

On Monday night, Jewish students in Leeds held the first of a series of protests to stand up against hatred on campus. Across the country, the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) will be leading the fight back against Norman Finkelstein, Gilad Atzmon and Nick Griffin to ensure our universities remain free from hate.

Norman Finkelstein, author of 'The Holocaust Industry', faced a large demonstration when he spoke at the University of Leeds on Monday, the first date in Finkelstein's week-long campus tour.

Bruce Rothberg, Campaigns Organiser of Leeds Jewish Society said:

"We were there to show that Norman Finkelstein did not speak in our name. It beggars belief that our Palestine Solidarity Group would invite someone to speak who has compared Israelis to Nazis, proclaimed his support for Hezbollah's attacks on civilians and questioned the credentials of Holocaust survivors."

Gilad Atzmon has argued that the Jewish people were responsible for persecution by the Nazis has also been invited to speak to the Exeter University Friends of Palestine Society last night . He has also called Jews 'inhuman' and argued that the burning of Synagogues is a 'rational act'.

Atzmon failed in his previous attempts to speak on campus at Westminster and Birmingham Universities, but - despite complaints from Jewish students and others - Exeter University have refused to deny Atzmon a platform. He was greeted by a demonstration to show that his extreme views are not welcome in Exeter.

The President of Exeter J-Soc, Ben Salamon said:

"We feel that it is very irresponsible of the Friends of Palestine to invite this man to speak, and completely unacceptable that they did not respond to our objections. We have invited all members of the society to join us in our protest, as well as all rational students who oppose racism and hatred. We hope our protest will help prevent future events like this from being permitted at Exeter University."

Nick Griffin, the beleaguered leader of the far-right British National Party and author of the Holocaust denying pamphlet 'Holocaust Review', has been invited to speak at the Nottingham University Debating Society on the 24th November.

In light of this invitation, UJS and Nottingham Jewish Society are working to protect the safety and welfare of the students there, and ensure that students' firm opposition to racism and fascism is heard loud and clear.

"People like Nick Griffin and Gilad Atzmon have no place on our campuses. They may pose as champions of free speech, but their presence only serves to whip up hatred and divide student communities" Dan Sheldon, UJS Campaigns Director said. "Universities must take their responsibility to protect the welfare of their students as seriously as they take their duty to uphold freedom of speech".