This is a statement from Peter Tatchell
I had no knowledge of the Global Ideas Society event at Westminster University on 16 February 2012 until after it was cancelled.
I was later informed that I had been falsely accused by the GIS and University of Westminster Students Union (UWSU) of “posing a violent threat” to the event. This accusation is untrue.
I have a long history of non-violent direct action and I am one of its best known exponents in the UK. I have never in my 45 years of human rights campaigning committed any violent acts, even when violently assaulted myself. The idea that I threatened violence or posed a violent threat is absurd and defamatory.
I call on the UWSU and GIS to withdraw this untrue, libellous allegation and apologise.
I spoke at an LGBT rights meeting at the university the same evening. It had no connection with the GIS event.
I did not seek the cancellation of the GIS meeting or threaten to disrupt it. If I had known about the Hizb ut-Tahrir speaker, I would have protested peacefully against his organisation’s reactionary ideas (as I have done in the past).
I strongly oppose Hizb ut-Tahrir. It rejects democracy and human rights. It has a long history of homophobia, sexism and Islamist supremacism.
In May 1994, at their Wembley conference, I was subjected to death threats from members of Hizb ut-Tahrir. They explicitly threatened to track me down and kill me.
Hizb ut-Tahrir is a clerical fascist organisation. According to its draft constitution and past statements from its spokespeople it believes in:
- The replacement of secular democracy with Sharia-based theocratic rule.
- The subjugation and inferiority of women and their debarring from holding ruling positions
- The superiority of Muslims over non-Muslims
- The denial of full rights and citizenship to non-Muslims
- The banning of non-Islamist political parties.
- The death penalty for Muslims who leave their religion.
- The death penalty for those guilty of blasphemy against Islam.
- The death penalty for LGBT people and women who have sex outside of marriage.
In short, Hizb ut-Tahrir is a far right organisation that seeks to impose a theocratic dictatorship worldwide. It is more fascistic than even the vile BNP.
It should be opposed at every opportunity.
The rights and freedoms of ordinary Muslims should be defended against these fanatics who are, first and foremost, a threat to fellow Muslims. The Muslim community must be defended against the extremists of Hizb ut-Tahrir.
