Can reason end this witch hunt? Standing with Ken Loach
JVL Introduction
On February 8, St Peter’s College, Oxford, held an event publicised in advance as follows: “In this illustrated conversation, distinguished and multi-award-winning British filmmaker, social campaigner and St Peter’s College alumnus, Ken Loach, will discuss his filmmaking career with Professor Judith Buchanan, Master of St Peter’s College Oxford. Their conversation will concentrate on two remarkable films: The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) and I, Daniel Blake (2016).”
In order to proceed, the college had to withstand a campaign, led by the Oxford University Jewish Society and promoted by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, vilifying it for endangering the safety of Jewish students by allowing Loach into its space. They accused Loach of making “remarks that are antisemitic under the IHRA definition” and produced a string of old allegations which have been comprehensively refuted in the past.
News of the attacks on Loach, whose work over decades has consistently exposed inhumanity, inequality and injustice, resulted in many well-known cultural figures rallying to his defence, #IStandWithKenLoach trending on Twitter and a rebellious riposte from Canary editor Kerry-Anne Mendoza.
Nonetheless, students at St. Peters and other Oxford colleges were persuaded to pass motions condemning Professor Buchanan for inviting Loach, saying the college had “failed in its duty of care to Jewish students by putting on an event which celebrates his career without providing the contextual information of the harm he has caused to Jews in this country and across the world with the comments he has made.”
As Sarah Glynn comments in her perceptive response posted below, “Ken Loach’s case provides an illuminating (and infuriating) example of how a witch hunt operates.”
Can reason end this witch hunt?
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Does HMG’s announcement of the creation of a “Free Speech Czar” mean that such stuff as the disgraceful targeting of Ken Loach will become a thing of the past?
Don’t hold your breath. I suspect that it’s only meant to protect reactionaries.
I’m sure goldbach is right that the Czar is only meant to protect reactionaries – but if s/he ever actually appears, let’s make sure the first case raised is about right-wing Jews trying to stop discussions about Palestine!
Excellent article.
Fascinating interview with the wonderful Ken Loach.
Solidarity with all victims of the witch hunt.
Great article. I look forward to find out which useful idiot the populist cult appoint to further their anti “woke” crusade in the UK. It’s all about culture wars and presenting critics of reactionaries as aggressive left wingv”extremists”. Rather than run away from this culture war the left should tackle it “head on”. Too many on the left ducked this issue during the Brexit referendum
The best description of Fascism ,in my opinion was written by Hannah Arendt.
“the temporary alliance between the elite and the mob.” Describes the political situation in our country perfectly. Who better represents the elite but Johnson, Rees- Mogg, Nigel Farage and the 20 unelected ministers in the government. Minsters lie with impunity. What chance democracy surviving.?