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Latest update: 09/03/2012
- Dominique Strauss-Kahn - International Women's Day - UK
Cambridge students protest Strauss-Kahn invite
Disgraced French politician Dominique Strauss Kahn, accused of numerous predatory sexual attacks against women, is due to address the UK’s famed Cambridge University Union Society Friday, prompting an outcry from female students.
Female students at the UK’s prestigious Cambridge University are protesting disgraced former IMF boss Dominique Strauss Kahn’s invitation to address the university’s Union Society on Friday, one day after International Women’s Day.
The Cambridge University Student’s Union Women’s Campaign has collected more than 800 signatures calling for Strauss-Kahn, known in France as DSK, to be “disinvited” from the Union Society (known simply as “the Union”).
Strauss Kahn was arrested in May 2011 and charged with an alleged sexual assault against Nafissatou Diallo, a hotel maid at the Manhattan Sofitel where the then-IMF chief was staying.
Prosecutors eventually dropped the charges, but it was too late for Strauss Kahn to put himself forward for the nomination to be the Socialist candidate in the forthcoming French presidential election as he was widely expected to.
On his return to France, Strauss Kahn also faced charges of sexually assaulting writer Tristane Banon in 2002. These charges were also dropped because of the time that had elapsed between the alleged offence and the time it took to get the case in front of French judges.
In an open letter to the university’s student newspaper Varsity, the Women’s Campaign accused the Union of ruthless self-promotion by inviting such a controversial guest speaker.
“We believe that free speech is about more than inviting rich, white, powerful (in this case allegedly rapist) men to define the Union's term card,” the letter says.
It continues: “Dominique Strauss-Kahn has not been acquitted of any of the multiple accusations of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault that have been levelled against him.
“In the case of Nafissatou Diallo, he benefitted from a concerted media character assassination of the woman; in the case of Tristane Banon, he escaped only because of a French statute of limitations which prevented the charge of sexual assault being brought.”
US lawyer Douglas Wigdor, representing Diallo in her ongoing civil case against Strauss Kahn, was due in Cambridge on Friday to discuss his case with students ahead of a planned protest at Strauss Kahn’s Union appearance.
“I was really stunned that such a prestigious institution as the Cambridge Union would let itself be used by Strauss-Kahn's (public relations) team to resurrect his image," Wigdor, who holds a Masters degree from Oxford, told Reuters on Tuesday. .
Cambridge Union President Katie Lamb was contacted by FRANCE 24 on Thursday, but no comment was received before this article was published.
However, she told Varsity in an “exclusive interview” that she understood the Women’s Campaign’s right to express an opinion, but insisted that the Union was promoting free speech.
“Being invited to the Union does not imply support, endorsement or agreement,” she told the newspaper. “We hear from a huge range of people with a vast range of views.”
Previously, the Union has held debates on a wide range of subjects, including one, titled “This house believes pornography does a good public service” – which came under criticism for inviting porn stars to speak in defence of the industry.
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(8) Reactions
He should definitely not be
He should definitely not be allowed to give a speach in Cambridge. He's a man with tainted reputation and there's no sweet-talk in the world that can change that.
reverse direction
We do not know what allegations are true however, he's heading into court in France where the financial bias recently switched direction. If he is a sexual predator then part of his synaptic processes includes his inability to grok information from public presentations he could find distracting. Sex it up. Put in attractive women who, rather than arguing with him, invite him into quotes which when picked up in France could have him lose his court case. The IMF monetary policy is visible in Iceland. Beyond mere top down control, the IMF views minds and people as though their brains are gold mines to be exhausted without recompense. So attractive women calmly putting forward facts and logic only I think may succeed in getting the nature in his synapses to reveal itself via a misquote or perhaps more. Find what topics he prefers and prohibit all of them while you own the agenda. Have many people filming the event. A rare response to facts and logic truly is lunging with teeth bared; I have seen it, couldn't take a photo. The point is, rather than heckle, rather than let him be comfortable, aim for having his darkest self be visible on film.
DSK
This man is not guilty. Why on earth do this ignorant people protest against him? Is it because he is french and brighter than the brits?
utube
not just women protesting.............non seulement femmes protestantes
that moron is never 2b alowed
that moron is never 2b alowed 2 get n wer near students-moreso female students thats a regratable mistake.
DSK was not invited by the
DSK was not invited by the University, but by a student union, and there was actually no word about his private life.
But it is true that the Union should not deny all the charges DSK is facing, the context and the current events being what made this event more interesting. And that is not a shame, most of us want to listen to people who make the news, even if it is a bad way. Listening does not mean approving.
I believe every man is
I believe every man is innocent until proven guilty. Furthermore, DSK surely is invited to discuss other topics than his personal life, or what happened in the media.
I am not a DSK supporter, but I think we have heard enough from the media in the last months about the topic. Surely a court of law should be able to adjudicate the matter.
DSK
I support Cambridge women in their affront ~ how could the university make such a blunder?