The 11th February 2010 marked the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of Iran which took place in 1979. This year, millions of people took to the streets of Iran to celebrate the anniversary of a revolution based on moral values, independence and freedom.

On the same occasion, an academic event discussing the revolution and its impact and implications on an international level was organised to be held at University College London (UCL). The event entitled “1979 — The Revolution that shook the world” was a collaboration between UCL & Imperial AhlulBayt Islamic Society (ABSoc).

In the build up to the event many false allegations had been levelled against the organisers and this included accusations that the event was funded by the Iranian embassy, that the AhlulBayt Society is affiliated with the Iranian government and that the aim of the event was to promote fascism. AhlulBayt society rejects these claims and has requested that the UCL union condemn such behaviour which clearly contravenes freedom of speech. Speakers had also received numerous death threats warning them not to attend the event.

On the day of the event, five minutes into the program, communist supporters and a handful of green movement supporters came to the front of the lecture room, attempting to seize the mic from the speaker, while displaying banners and calling for death to Islamic republic. As security began to remove them, they activated the fire alarm, leading to an evacuation of the building and the event being cancelled.
It is clear that the Q&A session could have been used constructively by the critics of the program to voice their concern. Choosing to replace an intellectual platform for debate with chanting slogans and pressing the fire alarm are obvious contradictories to the essence of freedom of speech.

Whilst the individuals involved succeeded in their task of cancelling the event, their behaviour elicited bewilderment and disgust from the audience. The intolerance and disrespect of those opposing the event and the peaceful reaction of the organising societies was in stark contrast.

Following the assassination of the most prominent philosopher, thinker and debater of the Islamic revolution, Ayatullah Mutahari, Imam Khomeini — founder of the Islamic revolution said “This is a sign of your desperation that in the darkness of the night you assassinate our scholar, because you do not have logic. If you had any logic or reasoning, you would try dialogue and discussion. But you do not have any logic — your logic is based on terror.”

The platform for a peaceful dialogue was ready however ironically; opponents of the revolution chose to disrupt the event with shouts of “freedom of speech”. Freedom of speech is not a slogan to be only shouted, but an action to be upheld in deed. It is based on understanding, mutual respect and tolerance. Once we learn to replace hatred and grudging with understanding and peace, we will be able to flourish and progress as individuals and as a society.