I am amazed and horrified at the cancellation of the conference at Southampton University concerning Israel, supposedly on health and safety grounds because they were afraid of demonstrations against it.

Where is freedom of speech and academic discussion now?

Are people not allowed to demonstrate any more? Are the police too weak to protect lawful debate and also those protesting?

Is the university so spineless that they have caved in to a powerful pressure group?

The people who threatened to disrupt the conference have now won, but if they were going to indulge in illegal behaviour, why could they not have been stopped and arrested for disorderly behaviour IF they did offend?

Not everyone agrees with each other but that is the nature of democracy – even David Cameron, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Abbas all marched together in Paris for Charlie Hebdo.

Is freedom of speech alright abroad but not here?

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