Exclusive by Marios Papaloizou
Massive protests are expected tomorrow as disgraced historian and ‘Holocaust denier’ David Irving is set to give a lecture at a secret location in the city.
The event is causing a stir among anti-fascist organisations who are desperately searching for information on the whereabouts of the lecture in order to assemble and protest.
However, Mr Irving told MM that all they are doing is ‘protesting the truth’ and that they should ‘get a life’.
“They can protest if they want. What are they protesting about? They’re protesting about the truth. These people who are frightened of free speech they have something to hide I think,” he said.
Mr Irving rejected the notion that he was a holocaust denier but Labour Councillor Howard Balkind believes that this is his just a form of manipulation.
“He looks on Hitler as a hero, he looks on Himmler as a hero. These people were vile,” he told MM.
“There were millions of people who died. He’s trying to duck and dive that fact.
“If we find out where it is there’s going to be a massive protest against him, we are going to try and stop him speaking.”
Cllr Balkind said that he believes that it is crucial that Mr Irving is not allowed to speak and dismissed the notion that this was an impingement on free speech.
“This is beyond free speech. This is something that is beyond free speech in terms of making people out to be heroes that weren’t heroes,” he said.
However, Mr Irving believes that the protesters are the real ‘haters’ and that they should act more ‘English’.
“I would say if these people want to protest then get a life and act in a real English manner, the way that the English have always acted which is tolerating free speech,” Mr Irving said.
“I don’t hate anybody. These are the people that really hate. They need to pull up their boot straps and get educated and get a life.”
Despite Mr Irving’s rhetoric, Cllr Balkind believes it is imperative that he is not allowed to speak in the city.
“Manchester should have nothing to do with him whatsoever,” he said.
“Wherever he is actually holding the meeting they should refuse to let him that meeting.”
While Mr Irving rejects the label of holocaust denier he spoke candidly about his belief that England has ‘got into a mess about race’, and that the media have misguided priorities.
“When I go to America they are concerned about real matters. Economic life and the problems of the ordinary person,” he said.
“You come back to Britain and you switch on the radio and all of a sudden you’re listening to news about racism, racists, paedophiles and now gay marriage.
“All the things that the average British elector isn’t the least bit interested in. He’s got real concerns in life.
“When I was born England was different and I wish sometimes that I could go to Heathrow airport and get aboard a 747 and fly for 10 hours and land back in England as it was in the 1950’s.
“England has got itself in a mess about race and it’s not my concern, I didn’t do it.”
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