Protesters aiming to halt Tyson visit
Thursday 4th February 2010, 1:00PM GMT.
A protest group is meeting tonight in a bid to halt a visit to Shropshire by controversial boxer Mike Tyson.
The meeting will help to assess the strength of feeling about plans for the ex-world champion to appear at a dinner in the Oswestry area.
Anyone concerned is invited to attend the event at the Wynnstay Hotel from 7.30pm.
The group is hoping to persuade organisers to reconsider the decision to include Mr Tyson in the programme for a dinner to be held at the Lions Quay next month.
Protest organiser Fiona Thompson, from Oswestry, said she felt the meeting was an chance for people to have their say.
She said she was very disappointed to see plans to bring the boxer, who was convicted of rape in 1992, to Shropshire.
“I don’t think it sends out the right message at all and I believe there is a great deal of disquiet about this visit,” she said.
“This meeting will give people the opportunity to express their concerns and I do believe there are serious concerns about this among residents in the area.”
She added: “We should remember that Mike Tyson was convicted of rape and served time in prison.
“It was not just a rumour or speculation. This man should not gain from his notorious reputation.
“What does that say to the millions of women who are the victims of rape or who suffer at the hands of violent men.”
Tyson is due at the dinner on March 14 with plans also to visit North Wales.
Organiser Mike Williams said he did not wish to comment. The dinner is sold out.
By Tracey O’Sullivan
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Small minds, again, from people in a small town in a small county.
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Convicted of rape = yes
Served time for conviction = yes
Now a free man = yes
whats the point of a justice, punishment, and rehabilitation system if you’re never going to give people a chance.
“We should remember that Mike Tyson was convicted of rape and served time in prison… It was not just a rumour or speculation. This man should not gain from his notorious reputation”.
- How is he gaining from this exactly? Is rape and prison the theme of his after diner speech? Maybe he’s trying to cash in on the tragic death of his 4yo daughter too?
“What does that say to the millions of women who are the victims of rape or who suffer at the hands of violent men.”
- Nothing, you’re the only person talking about it
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“We should remember that Mike Tyson was convicted of rape and served time in prison…”
Exactly!
Maybe protest organiser Fiona Thompson should stop tormenting the poor man and infringing his human rights.
“This man should not gain from his notorious reputation.”
Well I know a famous terrorist who served time in prison for planning the murders of innocent civilians, yet he is famous precisely because of his notorious reputation, and the British taxpayer has even paid for a statue to him in Trafalgar square!
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He also showed that with grit, hard work and determination it is possible to drag yourself up from the gutter to be a world beater..
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I still wouldn’t go near it with a 10 foot barge pole – don’t trust him an inch
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I’m not a fan of Tyson but he’s paid his dues. He’s not attending the dinner as “Guest Rapist of the Month” but as an outstanding sportsman for which he is justly famous.
The consequence of Ms Thompsons reported views would be that we should prevent convicted criminals from ever appearing in public or earning a living. What does this say to anyone convicted of a crime? It says continue your criminal ways because society will never forgive and you’ll never make any money by other means.
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What a disgraceful peice of action by this woman. I dislike everything that I have heard about this man apart from his boxing skill but there is no way on earth that we could or should be allowed to stop him coming to shropshire. He has served his time and has the right to travel as the law permits and to speak freely in a country that has fought to retain that right.
Now if Fiona Thompson were to say that she feels that the man should not be supported and try to call upon people not to attend the event, fine. That is a choice that people can make. Economic , market forces will prevail. If people do not want to see him then no one will pay for it and the event will not occur but if on the other hand people reject Thompsons view then they will pay and the event will proceed.
Please note I do not disagree with her feelings about Tyson and his history. I would not be attending this event. He has the right to be here and to give his speech and we must support that right even if we choose not to support the event.
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“It was not just a rumour or speculation. This man should not gain from his notorious reputation.”
He was one of the greatest heavywieght boxers of our times, an iconic sportsman who changed his sport long long before any indescretion. He has been convicted of the crime by his peers and served time in jail. Who are you Mrs Thompson to judge him again?
Maybe Tiger Woods should be stopped from playing in the PGA next year due to his countless infedilties..
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this guy has served his time and the other personal troubles in his life surely have made up for any of his wrong doin. however a woman doesnt go to a mans hotel room at 4am to play chess it was an obvious set up.theres peodaphiles and murders out there and real rapists who should draw alot more attention than this poor man who is genuinely trying to be a better person
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Im a 21yr old female and frankly i dont care if he come – i dont feel threated @ all. Id even go to the meal if my friends wanted to go – he’s been to prison and done his time. He’s trying to get on with his life know so just leave him b.
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So let me get this straight – most people on here think because he’s done a few years he’s paid the price for raping a woman? So does that mean any man can rape a woman providing he’s prepared to do a few years jail time after/if he gets caught and then all will be forgiven? The girl may have been naive but he as a grown man most certainly wasn’t.
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Organiser Mike Williams said he did not wish to comment. The dinner is sold out
Whatever your view money is the driver!
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Nobody is forcing protest organiser Fiona Thompson to attend the event. Maybe she’s just trying to make a name for herself. Is she involved with a political group, I wonder?
Tyson has served his time – Let him get on with his life.
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@Suellan
yes, you have just described the way the legal system is supposed to work. you do the crime, you do the time. what would you prefer? that he be killed?
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he has served his time, many other famous people get accused of rape and even covicted yet are forgiven and cheered at from crowds all over the place….
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