menu

Charity condemns university’s student union for infringement of free speech

The Pink Triangle Trust (PTT) has roundly condemned the University of Warwick’s Student Union for banning one of its patrons from addressing the University’s Atheists, Secularists and Humanists Society. The address was to have taken place next month.

Maryam Namazie
Maryam Namazie

The patron Maryam Namazie, who writes for The Guardian, is an Iranian-born human rights activist, broadcaster and secularist. She is the spokesperson for One Law for All (the campaign against Sharia law in Britain) and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.

PTT Secretary George Broadhead, said; “This action by the Student Union is a gross infringement of free speech. Maryam Namazie has always opposed violence but, like the French publication Charlie Hebdo whose staff were murdered by Islamists, she claims the right to criticise religion, including Islam. She condemns Islamic theocracies like her native Iran and Saudi Arabia where punishments under Sharia Law include public beheadings, amputations and floggings.

“The student union seems incapable of differentiating between criticising religion or a far-right political movement on the one hand and attacking and inciting hate against people on the other.”

The PTT’s patrons include former MEP Lord Michael Cashman, Nigerian Humanist Activist, Leo Igwe and Commissioning Editor of Gscene Magazine, James Ledward.

For more information about Pink Triangle Trust, click here:

New board announced for Brighton Pride Social Impact Fund

Brighton Pride have announced the formation of an independent board to facilitate the Social Impact Fund, a new incentive set up by Pride to benefit the city’s communities in the areas most affected by the social impact of the Pride weekend celebrations.

Brighton Pride Village Street Party

The Social Impact Fund board members will include the editors of the city’s main media outlets and will consist of Mike Gibson (The Argus), Greg Hadfield (Brighton & Hove Independent), James Ledward (Gscene Magazine), Tim Ridgeway, and Bill Smith (The Latest).

Brighton Pride raised a record-breaking £100,000 for good causes in 2015, with £90,000 being donated to the Rainbow Fund who make grants to LGBT/HIV organisations delivering effective front line services to LGBT people in the city.  A further £10,00 is earmarked for the new Social Impact Fund.

James Ledward
James Ledward

It is hoped that the new Social Impact Fund will enable Pride to support more local good causes that benefit all the city’s diverse communities.

The Social Impact Fund board will meet on Tuesday, October 13 to set the criteria for the fund and the grant application process.

James Ledward, commissioning editor of Gscene said: “This new fund offers a uinque opportunity to support organisations that work all year round, often without any recognition, to make Brighton and Hove a better and safer place for everyone to live.”

X