4.2.05
Irelandclick.com
SF criticise anti-collusion group ban
Sinn Féin has criticised a decision to ban the anti-collusion group An Fhírinne from a “diversity” week at the University of Ulster campus at Jordanstown.
The groups were forced out despite the presence of a stall for the PSNI and the university promoting the British army in recruitment drives in the past.
Belfast city councillor David Kennedy met with representatives of the university’s student union, public relations office and Provost Bill Clarke regarding the removal of a one-day anti-collusion display.
But the university said though it supported a request to have it removed it had not banned the exhibition.
“The display highlights those who have been victims of state collusion, which was given the go ahead before Christmas by the UUJ Students Union,” said Cllr Kennedy.
“However, when the exhibition went ahead we were told by the Union to remove it with the excuse that some people found it offensive.
“That is despite nationalist students finding stalls for the PSNI and British army offensive, but they weren’t removed.
“On the day the PSNI had a stall only a hundred yards away. This flies in the face of any form of even-handedness and exposes the university for denying a human rights organisation access to the campus.”
A university spokesman said the exhibition had “offended the neutrality protocol”.
“There were many dozens of posters. Physically the exhibition took over the foyer. The media had been invited and there were some family members there without prior permission.”
He also defended the presence of the PSNI saying they were there to “disseminate public safety information”.
Journalist:: Staff Reporter
SF criticise anti-collusion group ban
Sinn Féin has criticised a decision to ban the anti-collusion group An Fhírinne from a “diversity” week at the University of Ulster campus at Jordanstown.
The groups were forced out despite the presence of a stall for the PSNI and the university promoting the British army in recruitment drives in the past.
Belfast city councillor David Kennedy met with representatives of the university’s student union, public relations office and Provost Bill Clarke regarding the removal of a one-day anti-collusion display.
But the university said though it supported a request to have it removed it had not banned the exhibition.
“The display highlights those who have been victims of state collusion, which was given the go ahead before Christmas by the UUJ Students Union,” said Cllr Kennedy.
“However, when the exhibition went ahead we were told by the Union to remove it with the excuse that some people found it offensive.
“That is despite nationalist students finding stalls for the PSNI and British army offensive, but they weren’t removed.
“On the day the PSNI had a stall only a hundred yards away. This flies in the face of any form of even-handedness and exposes the university for denying a human rights organisation access to the campus.”
A university spokesman said the exhibition had “offended the neutrality protocol”.
“There were many dozens of posters. Physically the exhibition took over the foyer. The media had been invited and there were some family members there without prior permission.”
He also defended the presence of the PSNI saying they were there to “disseminate public safety information”.
Journalist:: Staff Reporter
