Left with no alternative
Statement from the Edinburgh Principal:
I would like to express my extreme disappointment that last night, for the second time in six months, we were left with no alternative but to stop the screening of ‘Adult Human Female’ because of safety concerns for attendees.
No alternative? Please. The alternative was to force the protesters to get out of the way so that people could go in to see ‘Adult Human Female.’ That’s it, that’s the alternative.
We refuse to be intimidated by the unreasonable behaviour of those who sought to prevent lawful discussion of challenging topics on our campus yesterday.
But they don’t. They don’t refuse to be intimidated. They let the bullies do whatever they wanted, and then they canceled the screening. That’s not refusing to be intimidated, it’s being intimidated.
It is unfortunate and disappointing that last night attendees were again prevented from being able to gather and discuss these issues on our campus. We worked with organisers of the event and leads of organisations representing those who wished to participate in peaceful protest at the screening of the film, putting increased measures and extra security in place to mitigate risks, whilst ensuring that all were in a position to express their views, including respecting others with differing perspectives.
Despite these significant additional measures, a small handful of disruptive protesters restricted access to the venue preventing the organisers from holding the event, and leading to increased tensions and safety concerns.
Then get them out. Get the small handful of disruptive protesters out. That’s it, that’s the solution. Just stop it.
Crocodile tears. No doubt afraid of being called “transphobic”. But not, apparently, of being called spineless fascist-enablers.
Two possibilities here:
1: They’re lying, and they really wanted the thing shut down, and took the first possible excuse.
2: They’re lying, and the ‘disruptive’ element was more than a handful, they were the majority, and were sufficiently threatening to create a legit concern.
Edinburgh, capital of Scotland and which played such a leading role in the European Reformation, has just taken a step backwards; a timid one, admittedly, but definitely in the direction of a new Dark Age.