Free speech row descends into chaos as protests erupt over Tommy Robinson's appearance at Oxford Islam debate

Protests erupted in Oxford last night as Tommy Robinson appeared at the Oxford Union for a debate on Islam.

More than a hundred people gathered to protest against the activist before he clashed over the idea that "the West is right to be suspicious of Islam".

Campaigners, some of whom bore Antifa logos and slogans, were seen wearing masks and Palestinian keffiyehs outside the venue.

They arrived in their hundreds holding banners reading "Stop the Far Right" and shouting: "Oxford Union, shame, shame."

Activists also bellowed "refugees are welcome here" and "racist scum off our streets" in the city centre.

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The Times reported that some members of the historic debating society were physically blocked from entering the building.

A small number of counter-protesters waving Union Jacks also emerged, with the two groups separated by a police cordon, with numerous officers present in the area.

Anti-Robinson protesters then appeared to hurl water bottles at his supporters and were seen booing police officers.

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said the Oxford Union was right to host the activist for a debate in the face of students' fury.

"I think the best way to answer him is to debate with him," Sir Jacob said. "You see, if I just ignore him he won't go away, he won't lose his following and people will just say people like me are scared."

He also argued the union would be "pointless" without free speech, adding the society "exists to argue".

Ahead of the debate, Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, raged at how Tommy Robinson was given the right to speak.

"The city centre should have been buzzing tonight with people coming together to support our team with England's first match in the World Cup," she told the BBC.

"Instead, pubs are closing early and people are warning their family and friends not to risk going into the city centre," she claimed.

She was joined by Green Party councillor Chris Jarvis, who said: "The Oxford Union should never have invited him.

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"Everyone is entitled to free speech... What they are not entitled to is a platform and the Oxford Union has chosen to platform far-right figures."

Protest attendee and student Alex Hernandez told the Daily Mail he wanted to see "genuinely engaging conversation" at the event, which started at 10pm.

"Ultimately the conversation should be had and should be listened to. It starts to get a bit dangerous when people start getting no-platformed," Mr Hernandez added.

Thames Valley Police said it supported freedom of speech as demonstrations unfolded.

It confirmed it was "working with the Oxford Union and other local stakeholders" to organise the event.

Oxford City Council, meanwhile, said the nearby St Michael's Street was shut off to vehicles and pedestrians between 4pm and 11pm on Wednesday amid the debate.

"A small number of bus routes will operate slight diversions, but no bus stops are affected. No other road closures are planned," a statement said.

The Oxford Union grants life memberships to students of the University of Oxford, but is run independently of the academic body.

The job of inviting guests to the historic debating society falls to the union's president - currently Arwa Elrayess - who serves for just a single eight-week academic term.

Ms Elrayess, the first Palestinian president of the prestigious debating society, previously told GB News: "When we were thinking about this debate, we wanted to look for the figures who very much symbolised – if not the figureheads of – these views to challenge them directly.

"We couldn't think of anyone who is louder and more unashamed about those views than Tommy Robinson.

"The idea was — why not go directly for the person who is most vocal about these views and states them most confidently?"

The debating society has been the subject of a number of controversies this year.

One president-elect, Catherine Xu, was stripped of her role after allegedly handing out union cards to non-members for an election.

Another George Abaraonye, quit after he was caught celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk.

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