NUS politics akin to violence of 'Maoist China', says human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell

The campaigner has repeatedly spoken out against 'no-platform' policies following an increasing number of high-profile speakers being asked not to appear at student events

The campaigner has repeatedly spoken out against 'no-platform' policies following an increasing number of high-profile speakers being asked not to appear at student events (Getty)

The National Union of Students (NUS) has as little concern for human rights as Maoist Chinese fanatics The Red Guards, leading campaigner Peter Tatchell has said.

Speaking at the Festival of Education at Wellington College, Berkshire, Mr Tatchell spoke out against the student community's attitude toward free speech and accused the union of playing the “politics of victimhood”.

His comments come as part of an ongoing disagreement with student union leaders, who have made headlines over the past few months for allowing student bodies to ban atheists and human rights campaigners from speaking on campus, as well as those whose views might be seen as offensive to sensitive students.

Speaking on stage at the festival, Mr Tatchell said: “Some university authorities and student unions are banning or restricting speakers on the grounds that their opinion may cause offence. But there is no right to not be offended.”

“The divisive, sectarian, zealous witch-hunting of students with dissenting views has echoes of the Red Guards during the 1960s Cultural Revolution in China. Some students seem more intent on political purity than building the broad alliances that are necessary for successful social change.”

The parliamentary student movement, The Red Guards were known for their aggressive behaviour burning books, destroying artwork and museums, and even torturing and killing indivuduals whose ideas they did not agree with.

Mr Tatchell went on to point out that “some of the most important ideas in history caused great offence at the time”, citing the ideas of Galileo, Charles Darwin, Sigmund Freud and Emmeline Pankhurst.

“There have been repeated attempts to ban atheists, secularist and humanist events on campuses because they might cause offence to Muslim students… The NUS no-platform and safe space policies don’t refute offensive ideas. They simply exclude them and that doesn’t solve anything.”

Responding to the comments, an NUS spokesperson said: “NUS is proud to have a no-platform policy that has been in place since 1974 and was voted for, overwhelmingly, by all our members. ‘No Platform Policy’ means that organisations who hold racist and/or fascist views are never allowed to stand for election within NUS or attend or speak at any of our events."

"Our elected officers, committee members and trustees will also never share a platform with these kinds of organisations. We do not want to give those kind of views a platform and actively encourage debate without harassment. There is no place for racists or fascists at NUS.”