Auckland Mayor Phil Goff will find no shortage of supporters for his decision to exercise pre-emotive judgment and cancel the Canadian speakers from feminist and ethnic groups who may feel vulnerable to their disclosures.

On what grounds did he decide there was a threat to public safety? If someone suggested threatening protests then surely that is case for the police?

There was a similar council cancellation recently in Nelson where noted historian, Dr Bruce Moon, was booked to give a lecture on the Treaty of Waitangi in a public hall. The Mayor cancelled the lecture on receiving threats from anonymous sources of disruptions that the Mayor considered might endanger public safety. So decisions on freedom of speech are decided by anonymous self-appointed arbiters using illegal threats.

This power of vocal pressure groups is becoming more prevalent in the administration of Western societies.

B Johnson, Omokoroa.