Nawaz demanded to know “who should we celebrate” from British history after a fellow panellist showed support for the protesters.
A 14-strong group of left-wing, Labour-supporting students disrupted diners enjoying a quiet meal at the ‘Blighty Cafe’ in Finsbury Park, London.
“We have nothing to lose but our chains,” they yelled while urging the owner to apologise to the local economy for setting up the eatery.
The 14-strong group also chanted: “We cannot accept the unashamed colonial and gentrifying presence of this cafe.”
SKY NEWS
If we are not comfortable with Churchill, who should we celebrate from history?
Discussing the bizarre protest on Sky News’ The Pledge, Nawaz said: “To my embarrassment, 14 members of my old university, Soas, held a protest, demanding the owner apologise for aggrandising the wartime leader, rather than portraying him as a racist.
“The demonstrators faced a backlash, but their student union backed them, saying ‘the cafe exercises an assertive historical amnesia of British colonialism offensive to those who continue to experience institutional racism’.
“Ah, not to me and thousands like me, it doesn’t. Of course, Churchill was flawed, just as Gandhi and all great historical leaders were, but their more troublesome ideas were relatively benign during the times they lived in and their achievements outshine their shortcomings.
“These two criteria must surely apply, otherwise no historical figure is safe from being torn down.”
Afua Hirsch took the other side of the argument, claiming most British people know Winston Churchill as a “simplistic, one-dimensional historical figure”.
She added: “If you were of Bengali descent, for example, and there are many people who feel personally hurt by that famine…
“This is three million people who died in an avoidable and preventable famine, which Churchill could have prevented.
“Instead, he diverted aid away from it and exported food from India to British troops.”
Nawaz concluded: “Those students were offended on my behalf.
“They were claiming people like me, but I’m saying none of those students were from South Asia.
“Actually, to claim offence and to speak as if we all think the same way is actually quite offensive.
“I have the killer question, figuratively, of course, not endorsing colonialism, if we are not comfortable with Churchill, I presume Gandhi would come under the same criticism, who should we celebrate from history?”
