Press Statement from Christina Jones, UK Communications Associate for CAMERA
We are deeply disheartened by the cancellation of the debate on “This house believes Palestinian leadership is the biggest barrier to peace” at Durham University on Friday evening. Speakers including Natasha Hausdorff, David Collier, and Lance Forman were set to present, with Chris Doyle, Dr. Peter Shambrook, and Mohab Ramadan opposing. Unfortunately, anti-Israel protesters barricaded students inside the chamber for nearly two hours, forcing the event’s cancellation.
Durham University, which prides itself on free speech, failed to uphold this principle by yielding to the protesters and not involving the police when students felt threatened. We urge Durham University to hold the responsible parties accountable and reschedule this important debate.