“On Thursday 9th April I headed off to CUH to attend the scheduled yet controversial lecture entitled Why Euthanasia should be Legalised by Professor Len Doyle. I was a few minutes late having enjoyed the spring walk and arrived to discover a very tense and unpleasant atmosphere coming from the auditorium. I was advised not to enter because the room had been taken over by an angry crowd of protesters who had intimidated the speaker into silence. I could hear for myself calls of ‘murderer’ and ‘Nazi’ coming from the room, as people who had attended to hear out the Professor quietly left looking shaken and upset. Within ten minutes the protesters had the auditorium to themselves; they were happily shouting about their own views and saying the rosary. I have seen many protests, and would support anyone’s right to protest against those things that they disagree with but that right to protest needs to be balanced against others right to free speech …” (more)
[Fiona Donson, CCJHR Blog, 15 April]