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Paul D. was stopped from entering US to hear David Irving's lecture, March 3, 2002

US Border Patrol and Free Speech

I'M SORRY I missed your lecture [at Niagara Falls, USA] this afternoon. I was detained at the pedestrian entrance on the Rainbow Bridge for about an hour (from 13h30 to 14h30) and then denied entry.

They obviously knew that there was something going on at the Fallsview hotel, because when I mentioned that I was going to attend some lectures there, they became thoroughly unpleasant and sarcastic and decided to minutely examine every single scrap of paper I had with me, and gave me a third-degree interrogation about my medical history and state of mental health.

Maybe I should not have said exactly where I was going but I have this old-fashioned habit of telling the truth which doesn't seem to do me much good in this deception-ruled society, and I am a bit of a naive novice at trying to sneak across borders.

While going through my agenda they noted that I had marked April 27th as the South Africa National Day (the new ANC-inspired National Day) which then led to them to becoming even more hyper-vigilant and conducting more interrogation and searches.

Being from South Africa I am quite used to being searched by officious officials so I was not much fazed by all of this and managed to remain polite. Anyway, I was told that I will not be allowed entry to the US in the future unless I produce a letter from my employer and a copy of my lease.

This was quite an eye-opening experience for me, and it really shows just how desperate and powerless the enemies of truth are. I hope none of your other guests was similarly inconvenienced.

Paul D.

David Irving replies:

I AM sorry to say that several guests who did arrive at this little function reported that they were harrassed by US Border Patrol or US INS officers on the bridge and at other crossings from Canada; they were evidently aware that my lecture was taking place. We know of several other instances where officials detained and turned back these visitors.

It seems that in their paranoia about terrorism -- and remember, not one single act of terrorism has occurred on US soil since September 11, 2001 -- the United States are using their new-found powers to conduct minor forays against Free Speech themselves. They are turning into their own enemy, and there are in my view few fates worse than that.