MORE than 100 campaigners and organisations have signed an open letter to the Oxford Union calling on them to retract their invitation to a 'Nazi-linked' German politician.
Anti-racist campaigners, an MP and Oxford academics are among those calling on the Union to change tack, after it announced Alice Weidel would speak at a meeting next month.
The letter says the union is 'legitimising racism and fascism' and is also backed by six city and three county councillors.
READ MORE: MP condemns Oxford Union for 'Nazi-linked' party leader invite
In a separate development, the university's Student Union has voted to condemn the visit of Ms Weidel, a co-leader of the far right 'Alternative for Germany' party.
Oxford's MP have taken different stances on the invite, with Anneliese Dodds condemning it while Layla Moran has backed 'open debate'. The union is standing by its invite.
SEE MORE: 'Nazi-linked' leader in Oxford: Moran backs 'open debate'
Protesters will demonstrate outside the union on the evening of Wednesday, November 7, when Ms Weidel is due to speak. Hundreds have expressed interest online.
Oxford history professor Robert Gildea said: "This is a tactless and ill-advised invitation to a city which prides itself on its diversity and hostility to extremisms."
The letter in full:
By inviting Alice Weidel the leader of a far right party populated with racists and fascists to speak, the Oxford Union is helping to boost and legitimise racism and fascism. This invitation can only give confidence to racists and fascists to be active here. At a time of rising racist attacks and increased far right and fascist activity in the UK this is dangerous, and negligent of the safety and peace of Oxford's diverse community.
The AfD has built up its following by stoking up racism against migrants, Muslims and refugees, and this enabled racists to go on a rampage against migrants in Chemnitz, Germany. It was fascists in AfD who were in the front line of protests in Chemnitz.
The Oxford Union appears to have learned nothing from the mass protests that greeted its invitation to BNP leader Nick Griffin and Holocaust Denier David Irving in 2007. Even though it has admitted since that it was institutionally racist following complaints from students, it has continued to invite racist and fascist speakers, notably Tommy Robinson and Marine Le Pen.
We call on the Oxford Union to stop giving credibility to racism and fascism and cancel the invitation to Alice Wiedel.
Racists and fascists are not welcome here, and we stand in solidarity with German anti-racists and anti-fascists and refugees, migrants and Muslims facing AfD racism.
Signed by:
Oxford Stand Up To Racism
Oxford Unite Against Fascism
Oxford Love Music Hate Racism
CWU South Central postal branch
Anneliese Dodds MP
Peter Somogyi, Professor of Neurobiology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford
Bernard Sufrin, Emeritus Fellow, Worcester College
Jane Caplan, Emeritus Professor of History, St Antony's College
Professor David Smith, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford
Paul Betts, Professor of History, Oxford University
Dr Marius Kwint, University of Portsmouth
Dr Emma New, Oxford Health Trust
Dave Proctor, Tutor, Ruskin College
Geoff Taylor, Language teacher, St Clare's, Oxford
Giles Ji Ungpakorn, retired academic
Anthony Phillips, formerly Chaplain St.John's College
Dr Lynn Thomas, Roehampton University
Sam Gurney, Regional Secretary, TUC London, East and South East
Steve Akers, UNISON Regional Organiser
Ian Mckendrick, Communications officer, Oxfordshire UNISON Health branch
Corrine Jack, Treasurer, Oxfordshire Unison Health
Rosita Ellis, Equalities Officer, Oxfordshire Unison Health branch / Chair, Regional Black Members Group, Unison SE region
Chris Davis, International Officer, Oxfordshire UNISON Health branch
Pat Carmody, Unite South East Services Committee (Personal Capacity)
Matthew Callow, Unite the Union - Oxford Health Branch
Stephen Robertson - Branch secretary Banbury GMB
Kate Douglas, PCS DWP South East Regional Secretary
Cllr John Tanner, Labour City Councillor
Cllr Mike Rowley, Labour City Councillor
Cllr Jamila Azad, Labour City Councillor
Cllr Martyn Rush, Labour City Councillor
Cllr Susanna Pressel, Oxford City and County Councillor
Cllr Mark Cherry, Labour Party County Group
Cllr Hannah Banfield, Oxfordshire County Council
Cllr Deborah McIlveen, Labour County Councillor
Cllr Lubna Arshad, Labour City Councillor
Ann Black, Secretary, Oxford & District Labour Party
Stephen Marks, Vice-Chair Oxford & District Labour Party
Jabu Nala Hartley, Oxford Labour ward organiser
Cherry Mosteshar, co-Chair Oxford Momentum
Alex McKendrick, Lincoln Left Forum
Junie James, ACKHI
Pat Green, ACKHI, roots'n'culture
And 75 others
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