Unite Against Fascism Press Release
Friday 19th October 2007
Unite Against Fascism welcome suspension of James Watson and cancellation of book tour
Unite Against Fascism welcomes the decision of the Science Museum and Bristol’s Festival of Ideas to cancel the events scheduled around the Nobel Prize winner James Watson, the cancellation of the remainder of his book promotion tour next week and his suspension from his position at the Cold Harbour Reseach Laboratory.
Watson used his position as a world famous, eminent scientist to express deeply abhorrent racist views which belong to white supremacists and neo-Nazis. His comments were rightly totally rejected by the length and breadth of the scientific community here in Britain and in the USA, as not having any scientific basis.
When Watson’s racist comments hit the headlines, neo-Nazi and white supremacist websites saw jubilant postings from fascists, welcoming such endorsement of their ideology. The BNP attacked the Science Museum for cancelling the lecture tonight.
Weyman Bennett , National Joint Secretary of Unite Against Fascism said ” I am glad to see Watson’s racist and unscientific opinions are roundly rejected by the wider scientific community or society in general. This is a victory for anti racists and anti fascists. Such views have no place in scientific or democratic debate.”
For more information and interviews please contact Joint National Secretaries of Unite Against Fascism Weyman Bennett on 07734032314 and Milena Buyum 07879612234 or 020 7833 4916 unite@ucu.org.uk www.uaf.org.uk
Notes to the Editor:
1.UAF is campaigning against the invitation by the Oxford Union to Nick Griffin and convicted Holocaust denier David Irving in November. For more information, contact unite@ucu.org.uk
2. Unite Against Fascism is a broad based national campaign aimed at stopping the BNP, which brings together Black, Jewish, Muslim communities and other faith representatives, Lesbian and Gay activists, trade unionists and MPs into an alliance with all those who are threatened by and oppose fascism.
