Frankfurt Book Fair defends hosting right-wing publishing houses
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E-mail Xinhua, October 16, 2017
Juergen Boos, the director of the Frankfurt Book Fair has rejected criticism on Sunday night following clashes between demonstrators and security forces at the book stand of a right-wing publishing house.
"The Book Fair stands for a liberal, very open position. We clearly reject the political position and publishing activities of the New Right", Boos told the magazine "SPIEGEL".
Boos noted, however, that as a monopolistic organization, the Frankfurt Book Fair could be sued if it did not grant access to publishers regardless of their political views. "I don't want to have the right-wing publishers here, but we have to allow them access", the book fair director said.
Over the weekend, crowds of demonstrators had attempted to disrupt an event organized at the fair by the controversial right-wing Antaios publishing house.
Protestors were seen holding signs accusing the publisher and its prominent guests, including the Alternative for Germany politician Bjoern Hoecke, of being Nazis. The situation escalated into a violent row, leading security forces to cancel several speeches planned by Antaios and escort attendees of the event off the premises.
Boos, who was present at the clashes, expressed concern over the "extremely aggressive attitude" of both anti-fascists and the New Right members. Rather than using the fair as a forum to exchange opposing views in a civil manner, both sides were only interested in "enforcing their own opinions'.
"There was no chance to have a discussion" Boos complained. He further accused the media of having contributed to the escalation by "scandalizing" the presence of three right-wing publishing houses amongst thousands of publishers represented at the 69th Frankfurt Book Fair.
Despite criticism of excessive force employed by security towards protestors, Boos defended the fair's management of the situation. He argued that his organization had to be able to also tolerate opinions which visitors did not want to hear.
The Frankfurt Book Fair is the international publishing industry's biggest trade fair.
With a growth of about 3 percent, nearly 290,000 visitors came to the five-day annual book fair this year, at which 7,300 exhibitors from 102 countries and regions presented their new publications and exchanged views regarding book trading, copyright protection and digital publishing etc.
The 70th Frankfurt Book Fair is due to be held from Oct. 10 to 14, 2018.
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