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Telegraph readers have hit out after an ex-Muslim campaigner was banned from speaking at Warwick University when the students’ union said it was concerned she could incite hatred or offend Islam.

Coventry residents took to social media to give their views after Maryam Namazie, a human rights campaigner and member of the Council of Ex-Muslims, was invited to Warwick University’s Students’ Union by Warwick Atheists, Secularists and Humanists’ Society to give a talk on October 28.

Namazie's invitation was later blocked by the university’s students’ union, and said: “This is because after researching both her and her organisation, a number of flags have been raised. We have a duty of care to conduct a risk assessment for each speaker who wishes to come to campus.

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“There a number of articles written both by the speaker and by others about the speaker that indicate that she is highly inflammatory, and could incite hatred on campus. This is in contravention of our external speaker policy.”

Ms Namazie suggested the decision prevented important debate and amounted to oppression, and Telegraph readers responded via social media. Read their thoughts below.

Reader reaction

Coventry Against Racism: "Free speech in this country is sacred and should never be denied to anyone."

Chris Carpenter: "What is wrong with questioning the validity of the religion's practices in modern times? Who better to ask those questions than a former Muslim woman who has experienced life under that religion?"

Dale Hughes: "So freedom of speech should not be denied to anyone on the condition Muslims don't find what is being said offensive?"

Clive McGrory: "Those that do not want to hear this lady speak could just stay away."

Lisa-Marie Dobson: "Moronic."

Chris Carpenter: "This is what happens when you raise a generation of children with political correctness."

Julie Nelmes: "Freedom of speech obviously doesn't apply to the Students' Union at the University of Warwick."

Coventry Against Racism: "You have to question this lady's motivation for wanting to speak at the university about Islam. She is an ex-Muslim and I suspect she intends to stir up conflict with her views. As the university has such a diverse student population including many Muslims it is probably best that she, and her views, are kept away."

Catherine Cheetham: "Liberalism and the dreaded political correctness rule it seems."

Gareth Howells: "Someone expressing a view - regardless of what - shouldn't result in them being ousted like this!"

Dean Smyth: " If she can't talk about this subject then who can? The university is wrong to stop this. So much for freedom of speech."

Keiron Knights: "The whole idea of the Students' Union is to challenge beliefs. This betrays all they stand for."

Mary Connolly Fisher: "How is this right?"

Stephen Hicks: "Too scared to question how they've been told they must behave for fear of facing ignorant social stigma."

Paul Godman: "Another victory for the PC brigade!"

Paul Williamson: "The whole issue of offending others has gone way too far."

Wendy Dove: "Everyone has a right to debate, they should have allowed her to speak and allowed themselves to at least educate themselves on what certain minorities feel."

Gareth Howells: "Stop playing into the hands of the few and support the majority for a change."

Wendy Dove: "Taking this blinkered approach is uneducated and belongs in the dark ages."

Rachel Bermingham: "Oh dear. Talk about an own goal."

Steve Linton: "What a load of nonsense. This political correctness rubbish has killed the world."

June Moynihan: "Absolutely NOT the right decision."

Dave McKay: "You can't have one rule for one and one for another. You need a balance debate for a balanced view. Too much of one view skews judgement."

Colin Bennett: "Spineless, narrow minded individuals."

Andrew Gould: "Outrageous liberals."

Paul Cowley: "This is completley unexceptable. This lady has had her rights removed."

John Addy: "Free speech is dead!"

Ryan Hourihan: "Words escape me."

Chris Ward: "If you think freedom of speech is not under threat in this country then you're severely mistaken."

Aaron Folwell: "It's about time people stood up for their rights and freedom of speech."

Peter Surtees: "Where do we go from here?"

Ian Fraser: "I'm sure freedom of speech means exactly that, and as long as it does not provoke unlawfulness then what right has any one got to stop this woman?"

Allan Gold: "So free speech is only allowable for certain people then? Doesn't sound very free to me."