Antifa harasses Vancouver Greek Orthodox community over free speech event
The Hellenic Community of Vancouver (HCV) has been threatened and intimidated by far-left activists after being booked as a venue by the University of British Columbia Free Speech Club.
The venue, which also includes the St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church, has said that it has been at the receiving end of an online harassment campaign for simply booking their space to the club.
“The attacks against our community are unwarranted, offending and despicable,” said Hellenic Community President, Demetri Zambus.
The Free Speech Club has also hosted American political commentator and lawyer, Ben Shapiro, and Canadian psychology professor, Dr. Jordan B. Peterson in the past.
Change in venue after high security costs from UBC
The Free Speech Club has rented the space for an appearance featuring self-described libertarian Youtuber Stefan Molyneux and documentary film-maker and political commentator Lauren Southern. The event is set to take place on Friday, March 15th at 7:00 PM.
Originally, the club intended on hosting the event on the UBC campus at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts but had to change venues after the venue’s security costs became unmanageable.
The Chan Centre has hosted prior events by The Free Speech Club, including an event featuring Dr. Jordan Peterson on November 3rd, 2017 and one featuring Ben Shapiro on October 31st, 2018.
The Post Millennial reached out to the Chan Centre for comment, but had not heard back by the time we published this article.
Since the change in venue was announced, far-left activists have launched a harassment campaign via email, social media and phone, targeting the Hellenic Community of Vancouver for simply renting their space to the group.
“If any group officially deemed a hate group decided to rent from us, we’d deny them. These people are being attacked by their political opponents, but no one has the right to attack us (the Hellenic Community of Vancouver) and we will defend ourselves vigorously,” said Zambus.
Far-left groups launch targeted harassment campaign against the Hellenic Community
Antifa groups, like the Revolutionary Communists – Vancouver and the Revolutionary Student Movement – Vancouver have “doxxed”, or published the private information of the community online for a targeted harassment campaign.
The harassment included leaving negative reviews on the ethnic and religious community’s Facebook page, and getting members to flood the group with aggressive comments.
“We aren’t fooled by their [the HCV’s] crocodile tears and neither are the masses… Remember, voicing your disdain for the Hellenic Centre hosting fascists via phone or email is not “bullying” but a justified response,” claimed the Revolutionary Communists of Vancouver’s Facebook group.
However, the Hellenic Community maintains that it has hosted events across the political spectrum in the past.
“Historically, we have hosted Greens, Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Libertarians, Trotskyites, everyone. We are politically agnostic,” said Demetri Zambus.
Among the tactics used by the Revolutionary Student Movement – Vancouver has been plastering posters throughout the local community with the address and information of the Hellenic Community calling for the event to be shut down and for the two speakers to be deplatformed.
Police have gotten involved over threats of violence
According to Free Speech Club Director Angelo Isidorou, he has been targeted with death threats and harassment since he announced the new venue and the event. Since receiving the threats, the police have gotten involved in ensuring that the event proceeds safely.
“What helps is slapping the shite out of them… We didn’t debate the Nazis. We shot them. That’s how this game works,” said a Facebook user, Gregory Robertson on the HCV’s review page.
“This community has been receiving a lot of harassment of bullying from these radical groups, but the police has been incredibly helpful and will set a tone on the night of the event,” said Isidorou.
“Most of my family was killed in the Greco-Armenian Genocide, and went on, alike all Greeks, to struggle through the oppression of Nazism and Communism. Authoritarian evil is no stranger to our community. We have encountered it before, and we come out more emboldened in the end.”
Local police forces are expected to be at the event and the protest organized by opponents to the event.
“The VPD are involved and anyone causing grief to any of our members will be subject to the laws of this land,” claimed HCV President Zambus.
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