Ibrahim Mousawi, a senior member of Hezbollah, will speak at a Stop the War Coalition (StWC) rally in Cambridge on Sunday after an emergency motion to add the organization to CUSU’s “No Platform” policy failed at CUSU Council on Wednesday.

Corpus Christi College, which was to host the rally featuring Mousawi, the President of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Workers Union Hassan Juma’a, and StWC Chair Andrew Murray, has cancelled the booking. However, Stop the War, which has organized rallies across the country this week, said that the event would still take place at either King’s College or the Union.

A spokesperson for Corpus Christi College said that the decision to cancel the booking “wasn’t personal” but was made for “largely logistical” reasons, and that the College “didn’t know there was a booking at all until a few days ago.”

CUSU’s “No Platform” policy states that, “CUSU will campaign against attempts by any organisation within Cambridge University to provide a platform to, or actively promote, an individual, or a member of any group or organisation deemed to pose a very real threat to the welfare or security of our members”.

Wednesday’s motion demanded that CUSU enact the No Platform policy against Hezbollah and Dr Mousawi, who edits Al Intiqad, a journal associated with Hezbollah.

Mark Wolfson, Cambridge University Jewish Society External Officer, who proposed the failed motion, said that “the decision by the Stop the War Coalition to invite advocates of prejudice and fanaticism was a mortifying move. It undermined the honourable intentions of many who genuinely wish to stop the war.” After the motion failed, Wolfson said, “I am really disappointed that officers failed to protect the welfare of all students at Cambridge.”

David Cameron has already demanded that the government ban Dr Mousawi from entering the country, calling him a “vicious anti-Semite.” He said “People like al-Qaradawi and Mousawi are dangerous and divisive and should not be allowed in this country.”

Wolfson told Council that Hezbollah was a terrorist organization, and that it was racist, sexist, and homophobic. He argued that their ideology “would be legitimised by being represented in Cambridge.”

Hezbollah, or parts of it, is considered a terrorist organization by the UK, America, Canada, the Netherlands, Israel and Australia. It receives support from Syria and was formed primarily in response to Israeli occupation.

Owen Holland of St Catherine’s College, who opposed the motion, quoted veteran Middle East journalist Charles Glass at length in defence of Hezbollah. Holland argued that Hezbollah are neither anti-Semitic, nor a terrorist organization. In a Stop the War statement, Mousawi said, “I have nothing against Jews. I have nothing against any human being, whether because of religion, gender or political affiliation.” He said that Hezbollah is a resistance group, authorized by article 51 of the UN Charter. However, since 2004 the UN has passed two resolutions calling for the disarmament of Lebanese militias including Hezbollah.

David Wilson, of the Stop the War Coalition, said that “Wednesday night’s vote was a vote for democracy and, given the venue, also for academic freedom... The representative of a legal political movement with popular support in its country and -with a record of opposition to invasion and occupation strikes us as someone who should be heard in the interests of both an open debate and peace and security.”

The “No Platform” policy will not be effective as of the new academic year, although Wolfson said he hoped “that when the renewal of the No Platform policy comes before the council those elected to protect students do not fail in their duty once again.” However, Junior Penge Juma, CUSU Black Students Campaigns Officer, received a loud round of applause at Wednesday’s Council when he criticised “No Platform”. He argued that “dialogue” was necessary to improve understanding between opposing groups, and said that even Adolf Hitler should have been allowed to visit Cambridge.

Michael Stothard and Richard Power Sayeed