The Times reports:
Dozens of Iranian students burnt pictures of President Ahmadinejad and chanted “Death to the dictator” as he gave a speech at a university in Tehran yesterday.
Never has the hardline leader faced such open hostility at a public event, which came as Iran opened a conference questioning whether Nazi Germany murdered six million Jews.
One student activist said that the protest was against the “shameful” Holocaust conference and the “fact that many activists have not been allowed to attend university”. The conference “has brought to our country Nazis and racists from around the world”, he added.
Mr Ahmadinejad responded by saying: “Everyone should know that Ahmadinejad is prepared to be burnt in the path of true freedom, independence and justice”, according to an Iranian students’ news agency. He accused the protesters of being “Americanised”.
Addressinng the conference, Ahmadinejad said Israel “will one day be ‘wiped out’ as the Soviet Union was, drawing applause from participants in a conference casting doubt on the Nazis’ systematic extermination of 6 million Jews.”
If you can stand it, the Holocaust-denying Adelaide Institute has the conference’s complete agenda, with photos.
Among those addressing the conference was one Shiraz Dossa, a political science professor at Nova Scotia’s St. Francis Xavier University, who was shocked, shocked, to discover the true nature of the conference.
Dossa told The Globe he was alarmed to discover that Holocaust deniers played such a visible role at the conference.
“I did not know exactly who was coming to the conference, and frankly, I think these people are hacks and lunatics,” he said. “I frankly wouldn’t even shake hands with most of them.”
Now I want to be fair, and to give credit to every “anti-imperialist” individual, publication or website which unequivocally (i.e., without blaming Israel for antisemitism) condemns the Iranian authorities for sponsoring the conference and/or praises the brave Iranian students who have publicly denounced Ahmadinejad. Any candidates yet?
And who is more worthy of admiration and support from genuine leftists? These folks?
Or this guy?
