In the past half hour the speech of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been interrupted by two protesters wearing clown wigs in rainbow colours. The protesters threw an item at the president and were heard to yell “Racist! Racist!” before being escorted from the room by security. Within minutes of the speech proper starting, a stream of Western delegates got up and walked out in response to Ahmadinejad’s description of Israel as a “racist government”.
Bernard Kouchner, French Foreign Minister, had previously warned that French delegates would walk out if the forum became a platform to attack Israel. Ahmadinejad attacked Israel for having a “cruel, oppressive and racist regime”. Mr Ahmadinejad went on to blame the UN security council for stabilizing and supporting Israel.
The Iranian President who is known for his antisemitism, Holocaust denial and calls to “wipe Israel off the map” went on to blame ” the Zionists … in the US administration, in complicity with the arms manufacturing companies” for the war in Iraq. This rehtoric is designed to appeal to the alliance of Socialists and Islamists that the Iranian regime supports.
To see a CNN video of the speech and the walkout click here
Tags: Durban Review Conference, Iran, Israel, racism, walk out
