Protesters chanted and sang when Brash took the podium.

Former National Party Leader Don Brash was given a fiery response from protesters as he took part in a free speech debate at Auckland University on Thursday evening.

For a time it appeared Brash would not be able to speak as protesters sang and shouted over him inside the auditorium but after a few minutes calm was largely restored and Brash was invited to finish his speech.

Brash said to the boisterous crowd that they were themselves demonstrating free speech, which was in favour of what he was about to debate.

ALAN APTED/STUFF Don Brash speaks during the debate.

"Racism is not free speech," a protester shouted in response.

READ MORE:

​* Massey University bans Don Brash from speaking

* Don Brash free speech debate in Auckland booms on back of Massey's ban

* When a person with extreme views defends free speech someone gets hurt

About 100 placard-waving protesters had gathered outside the venue, and then moved into the auditorium before the debate began.

ALAN APTED/STUFF Protesters at Don Brash's speech in an Auckland University Debate.

Community group A New University, made up of Auckland University students, said it had organised the protest of Brash's inclusion in the debate, which was hosted by the university's debate society.

The subject of the debate was "Has PC culture gone too far to the point where it is limiting freedom of speech?", with Brash in the group arguing in favour.

The debate came just two days after Massey University's decision to ban Brash from making a speech at its Palmerston North campus - a decision widely condemned as an attack on free speech.

A New University spokeswoman Beth Stanley said the group did what it intended, which was to show that there was strong opposition to Brash participating because of his views towards Te Tiriti o Waitangi, te reo Māori and the rights of Māori people in New Zealand..

"Don Brash spoke. We didn't in anyway disrupt his speech. He got his whole speech out," Stanley said.

"We wanted to show that people are not happy about what he has to say and that he is not welcome on our university. We got our point across.

"We are not opposing the event or anything like that, we're opposing specifically Don Brash being invited onto campus."

Brash said the protesters were off-putting, but he wasn't intimidated.

"What they were wanting to do was close down my free speech. My own view is that free speech won hands down, not least by the intolerance of the protesters," he said.

"I didn't think they were going to let me speak at one point but in the end they accepted I could speak and I'm pleased about that."

Elliot Ikilei, New Conservative party deputy leader and a member of Brash's debating team, also praised those protesting for allowing Brash to speak.

On Wednesday, University of Auckland Debating Society president Chris Ryan said members of the club had a "robust discussion" about Brash's involvement, in light of the Massey University ban, but agreed to keep him in the debate.