Leader – LD50 Gallery’s warped logic must be defeated by intellect, not bans

Has LD50, the alleged fascist gallery, incited violence? There appears to be no evidence it has. Are the people it has given platforms to dangerous? It seems so.

One LD50 guest, Brett Stevens, praised the child murdering, white supremacist terrorist Anders Breivik as “brave” – though he was quick to add: “No comment on his methods.” Stevens clearly knows how to stay just the right side of the law, but his comments are chilling.

The gallery presents a conundrum for liberals. It has given a platform to some repulsive views, but true liberals must conclude that it is undesirable – and futile – to attempt to ban ideas.

Self-styled anti-fascists who mobbed the gallery want it closed. What would that achieve? Would it eradicate the far right? No. It would drive them underground and make martyrs of them.

Better to allow them to operate openly so their activities can be checked, and so they can be prosecuted if they break the law.

Britain is a democracy. The extreme right can organise politically – so long as they remain within the confines of the law. Feelings, words even, matter less than acts.

If someone is advancing warped logic, this should be demolished through intellect, not through bans.