Suspicious package, threats shut down screening of Iranium movie after Iranian embassy complains

Posted on January 18, 2011 | Comments Off

UPDATE: VoiceofCanada, Jan 21/11: Free Thinking Film Society: Iranium WILL be shown Feb 6th thanks to Heritage Minister James Moore

UPDATED — From the Ottawa Sun, tonight, 8:37pm, h/t to Vlad Tepes and Blazing Cat Fur…

OTTAWA – A suspicious package and a rash of phone calls threatening protests shut down the planned screening of an anti-Iran documentary at Library and Archives Canada Tuesday night.

Iran’s embassy in Ottawa had tried to censor the film, Iranium, by complaining to the national library, which cancelled it until Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore stepped in.

But after library officials fielded calls they say threatened protests, they reversed course again and re-cancelled the event just hours before it was due to start.

They called in police and shut down the building after somebody hand-delivered suspicious letters, forcing out researchers working in the archives.

[…]

“It’s like the Iranians have set something in motion and they’re able to shut down a film in the capital of Canada,” said Fred Litwin. “They obviously thought they could push around some people and they were right.” […]

Ottawa Sun, Jan 18/11: Threats block anti-Iran movie screening

The ‘Vlad Tepes’ blog is all over this story, apparently from a ringside seat, and has some photos, including one of the notice sign posted announcing the closing of the building:

Vlad Tepes, Jan 18/11: Unspecified threat closes down showing of ‘Iranium’ at Ottawa’s National Archives Theater
see also: Blazing Cat Fur, Jan 18/11: Unspecified threat closes down showing of ‘Iranium’ at Ottawa’s National Archives Theater

About ‘Iranium’ – the movie

From FreeThinkingFilmFest.ca…

Iranium
January 18, 2011
Library and Archives Canada

7:00 PM

Since the inception of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has displayed an absolute hatred for the West. Coupled with an extremist ideology, this regime has terrorized the world at large for over 30 years. This 70-minute film will explore the principles of the revolution, and visually demonstrate the hatred and violence exhibited by Iran’s brutal leadership. The film will document the regime’s abusive treatment of their once proud citizenry, and will chronicle the regime’s use of terror proxies abroad to inflict deadly messages on their self-described enemies. Please join us for this film, and a speaker..and reception to follow at about 9:00 PM

Admission: $15 (includes HST), $8.00 for students

Free Thinking Films: News – Iranium
see also: Iranium movie site: http://www.iraniummovie.com/

Movie Trailer

Watch the movie trailer here:

Blazing Cat Fur, Jan 18/11: Unspecified threat closes down showing of ‘Iranium’ at Ottawa’s National Archives Theater

VoC Comment

Fred Litwin - Free Thinking Film Society; GayAndRight; The Propagandist

The original cancellation after Iranian embassy interference in Canadian free speech was an outrage. The intervention by Minister James Moore in response was inspired. And the forced cancellation after threats and the suspicious package was nothing less than a direct assault on Canadian free speech – possibly by or inspired by a foreign government. Library & Archives Canada should immediately reschedule the screening of Iranium, and Canada should provide whatever security is necessary to ensure its success. No price is too great to show enemies of our democracy that Canadians will not submit to such threats.

I can only hope that L&AC will take its cue from the University of Waterloo which acted decisively against radical ‘students’ who forced the cancellation of Helpless author Christie Blatchford’s original presentation in November 2010:

HelplessByBlatchford project, Dec 11/10: University of Waterloo takes a stand for free speech and Christie Blatchford’s Caledonia story

As I said in an email to Fred Litwin, founder of the Free Thinking Film Society this evening, “Is the Library going to provide a new date and sufficient security to go with it? This cannot be the last word – your event MUST take place, especially now.”

The fact that thugs and the Iranian embassy shut this film down is proof positive that it must be disseminated by as many people as possible. I hope all those who live in the Ottawa region who support free speech will make every effort to attend a re-scheduled screening of Iranium. You can get more info here:

Free Thinking Films: www.FreeThinkingFilmFest.ca

BTW, Fred Litwin has also taken a welcome interest in the Caledonia issue. He recently commented on Harper’s response to the planned RCMP/Ottawa police apology to the Mohawk Warriors: