The Hellenic Community of Vancouver, British Columbia announced on Wednesday it is cancelling a rental contract with a right-wing group for the use of its premises, due to threats of violence against its members.
The “UBC Free Speech club” event, which was supposed to take place on Friday, March 14th, featured political commentators Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern.
The announcement claimed that the Hellenic community still stands by the principle of free speech but the decision was made with the safety of its members in mind.
“Specifically, threats of violence against our members by various political fringe groups and one domestic terrorist organization are now deemed very credible, and have escalated in the last 48 hours,” reads the statement. “We were, therefore, obligated to act immediately.”
Ever since the Hellenic Community of Vancouver was announced as the venue for the event, St. Georges’s Greek Orthodox Church and community center have been the victim of increasingly violent threats and actions by far-left extremists.
Groups such as the “Revolutionary Students Movement—Vancouver”, and the “Revolutionary Communists—Vancouver” have conducted a persistent harassment and doxxing campaign intended on intimidating the Hellenic community into deplatforming the two right-wing speakers.
“Information has been transmitted to the Vancouver Police Department and there will be no further comment by the Hellenic Community of Vancouver on this matter,” said the Hellenic Community press release.
Full text of the statement:
Dear Members:
The Hellenic Community of Vancouver has cancelled the rental contract with the UBC Free Speech Club for this Friday 15 March, 2019. The Molyneux/Southern speakers event will not proceed at our Center.
While we fully embrace freedom of speech, the safety and well-being of our members is paramount.
Specifically, threats of violence against our members by various political fringe groups and one domestic terrorist organization are now deemed very credible, and have escalated in the last 48 hours. We were, therefore, obligated to act immediately.
As well, our neutrality has been undermined by the false and misleading statements of unauthorized parties, inside and outside our Community.
Information has been transmitted to the Vancouver Police Department and there will be no further comment by the Hellenic Community of Vancouver on this matter.
Thank you,
Hellenic Community of Vancouver
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