DEBATE broke out on the steps of the Sheldonian Theatre yesterday during a gathering in support of the marches in Paris.
More than 100 people came together on Broad Street at 2pm to pay tribute to the 17 people killed in the Paris terror attacks last week, while millions marched in France.
Most carried signs that said “Je suis Charlie,” the unofficial slogan many associate with French defiance in the face of the extremist attacks on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Dr Hojjat Ramzy, Imam and director of the Oxford Islamic Information Centre, held a sign that criticised the “freedom to insult.”
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He told the Oxford Mail: “Of course we condemn the attacks and our thoughts are with the families of those who were killed, but we believe that Charlie Hebdo is extremist.
“It is insulting Islam and insulting our God. You can have free speech without insulting people.”
History lecturer and Marston resident Dr Cheryl Hudson said: “You cannot have freedom of speech without the freedom to insult. We need to say that we are not afraid to speak our minds and remember those who were killed.”
The 46-year-old added: “Our freedom to free speech has been undermined. People are afraid of hurting people’s feelings. This is a wake-up call to remind us how important it is.”
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