'UCLan is suppressing freedom of speech': your views on halal meat row

Sebastian Walsh had made comments about halal meat and of the alleged Islamisation of the UK during a seminar about food standards.

Sebastian has now been suspended from UCLan lectures until the end of the academic year unless he takes part in a ‘diversity training course’. The university said official complaints had been made about his remarks.

LEP readers had strong views on the suspension. Here is a selection of your comments.

It’s censorship, plain and simple.

James Baron

Easy solution to all this, make the option available for everyone ie halal and non halal on offer at all food eateries, therefore everyone can eat what they prefer! Diversity and inclusion at its finest!

Claire Davies

I agree, people should be entitled to their opinion, but people get overly offended by this whole halal meat thing.. Preston and the people in it have been serving halal as long as I can remember. Bet he doesn’t complain when hes on a night out scranning his kebab

Jenna Tomlinson

UCLan is suppressing freedom of speech he has a right to express his opinion like anybody what gives uclan the right to suspend him in fact the person who gave that decision should be investigated and dealt with

Darren Stockton

So now we can abolish animal welfare rights to suite some? What about rights of those you don’t agree with abolish that right too:( thought we had things in place for protection so when that protection is abolished because some don’t agree do we go with minority? There are plenty of countries with laws that are more suited to certain people maybe a long holiday there would fulfil their needs.

Jaquelin Masterson

UCLan is unwilling or not allowed to disclose the exact statement. Therefore how can anyone be able to formulate an appropriate response at this time.

Dave Cooper

Poor lad, university education should promote discussion and enable young minds to form opinions, I’m disgusted in the university for shutting someone down for voicing an opinion in an appropriate environment... his classroom during debate.

Kimothy Smith-Fearn

Freedom of speech comes with consequences. You can be held accountable for the stuff you say you know...

John Innes

Universities are supposed to be places where ideas are free to be expressed and challenged. This culture of suppressing rhetoric which simply hurts people’s feelings needs to be quashed.

If people are racist, discriminatory or incite violence then of course this should be dealt with, but people should be free to oppose religion or other ideas

Johnny Knight