(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-11-27 11:26

OXFORD -- Hundreds of protesters disrupted a debate on free speech at Oxford University on Monday, throwing eggs and staging a sit-in to try to prevent convicted Holocaust denier David Irving from speaking.

Demonstrators protest outside Oxford University against British National Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin and British historian David Irving during their Oxford Free Speech Forum in Oxford November 26, 2007. Police, protesters and free speech advocates descended on Oxford University on Monday where convicted Holocaust denier David Irving was due to speak in a debate on freedom of expression. [Agencies]

British riot police ringed the approach to the 184-year-old Oxford Union building in an effort to keep the protests by about 500 anti-fascist demonstrators, including Jewish and Muslim students, as peaceful as possible.

The debate was delayed by an hour-and-a-half but eventually went ahead in altered form with Irving, a British historian convicted and jailed by an Austrian court in 2006 for glorifying Nazism, taking part despite howls of protest.

Irving was due to be joined by Nick Griffin, leader of the far-right British National Party, in the debate with four other speakers, including two students, in the same hall.

But when the protesters broke into the hall and disrupted proceedings, the event became a fractured discussion, with Irving in one room with two other speakers and Griffin in another room with the remaining two.

The demonstrators had gathered outside the prestigious debating society, where former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Mother Theresa have spoken, several hours before the debate.

Irving and Griffin were spirited into the hall before the demonstrations began.

Afterwards, students who took part in the debate said they were glad it had gone ahead despite the disruptions.

"I think it was a very balanced argument and both sides did really well," undergraduate Roland Scarlett told the BBC.

Protesters said they were pleased to have made their point.