A PROTEST was held against a 'controversial' paper in Stroud yesterday. 

It was organised by Community Solidarity Stroud District (CSSD), a group which has previously challenged views expressed in the publication on a range of issues including the Holocaust.

The banner was hung to coincide with a meeting organised by a group which hands out The Light paper locally, hosting the editor of the paper from Manchester.

Stroud News and Journal: Newsquest Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

Member of the group Jeremy Green said: “It looks like they have identified Stroud as a promising growth area for their ideas.

"We don’t believe it makes sense to debate with someone who argues the earth is flat but we wanted to make sure people in our community who are members of the minority groups targeted know that we stand with them against the Light. 

"We also want those organising the meeting to know that they will not be able to spread their views without challenge.”

The CSSD group has previously organised a statement signed by 283 local residents which reads: “We do not want to see The Light paper being distributed where we live.

"We have our own criticisms of the government’s approach to the pandemic.

"However, we are alarmed by The Light's use of the pandemic to push support for the  denial of climate change, NHS-bashing and other reactionary views.”

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Community Solidarity Stroud District emphasises that they recognise their opponents’ rights to freedom of assembly and speech but will continue to use their own rights to free speech and assembly to challenge what they see as misinformation and hatred.

On its website the Light newspaper claims however that it is an independently distributed truthpaper, exposing corruption and crimes by governments, corporations and individuals.