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September 29, 2016 12:23 pm
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Report: Tenured Holocaust Denying Professor Asked by Canadian University to Resign, Following Outcry by Jewish Group

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avatar by Lea Speyer

University of Lethbridge professor Anthony Hall in a video called 'Why Do You Support Open Debate on the Holocaust?'.Photo: YouTube Screenshot.

University of Lethbridge professor Anthony Hall, in a video called ‘Why Do You Support Open Debate on the Holocaust?’ Photo: YouTube/Screenshot.

After years of complaints about his antisemitic rhetoric, a tenured professor at Canada’s University of Lethbridge is reportedly being asked to resign.

Professor Anthony Hall — who supports “open debate” on the Holocaust and has blamed Israel for the 9/11 terror attacks — told The American Herald Tribune, a website he helps run, that he was asked to step down after Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith Canada urged the university to launch an investigation into his behavior.

“If the University of Lethbridge allows Hall to continue teaching, it would demonstrate complete disrespect for true scholarship and the values of the academy,” Amanda Hohmann, national director of B’nai Brith Canada’s League for Human Rights, told The Algemeiner on Thursday. “When a professor is allowed to abuse the academic stage in order to promote antisemitism and crackpot conspiracy theories, it brings the entire university and discipline into disrepute.” 

Hall — a co-host of the YouTube program “False Flag Weekly News,” which promotes conspiracy theories about Zionists and Jews — has come under fire in the past for his spread of antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiment. In June, Lethbridge defended Hall’s right to do so, on academic freedom grounds.

According to anonymous reviews of his classes by students, Hall “basically abuses the stage he receives as a ‘teacher’” and “would rather spread his misguided views than actually teach a class.”  One student said that “anyone who does not believe in the 9/11 conspiracy should not take this class.”

Hohmann told The Algemeiner that her organization “has been following Hall’s public statements for over a year, since he accompanied American 9/11 conspiracy theorist Kevin Barrett on his Canadian speaking tour.”

Hall further “appeared on our radar,” Hohmann said, for his “full-throated public defense of Nikolaos Balaskas,” a York University lab technologist who, as reported by The Algemeiner, was fired from his position for a slew of antisemitic and anti-Zionist social-media postings.

Responding to B’nai Brith Canada’s calls for an investigation, Michael Mahon, president and vice chancellor of Lethbridge, issued the following statement:

Recently there has been significant public commentary and media coverage regarding the online activities and some of the personal views held by Dr. Anthony Hall. The University has received numerous inquiries and expressions of concern regarding Dr. Hall’s activities, views and teachings in the classroom. As we are able, we have attempted to respond to those inquiries.

The University recognizes the serious nature of these concerns and can confirm that we are actively engaged with this issue. As an employer however, the University is bound by privacy obligations and cannot provide specific commentary or details on any human resource action undertaken with regards to any employee of the University.

We can say unequivocally that Dr. Hall does not speak on behalf of the University or its faculty, staff and students. The University of Lethbridge is an inclusive and welcoming place of research, learning, creative activity and engagement for all members of the community. As an community we condemn any communication that promotes hatred, discrimination or violence to any individual or group.

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