Councillors have refused to hear in person from white nationalist Paul Fromm and a local yellow vester who had asked to delegate at city hall.

The far right leader, who infamously ran unsuccessfully for mayor locally in the last election, had asked to speak to council about whether the city’s planned new hate prevention policy limits free speech. A new draft of the policy is expected to come out next month.

Via email, Fromm called council “closed-minded” and “undemocratic” for rejecting his request and criticized the “poisonous” Spectator for an editorial calling on councillors to deny him a speaking opportunity.

The news of his request spurred outrage and letters from citizens and groups like the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion urging council to deny a platform to Fromm, arguing city hall is supposed to be a safe space for all residents.

Residents were quick to enumerate Fromm’s notorious past online, including his support for Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel and links to white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups past and present.

Councillors unanimously supported a motion from colleagues Sam Merulla and Chad Collins to deny the request.

There was no debate on the vote. But Merulla said afterwards he believes it is important to “not provide oxygen” to “radical” individuals who espouse a lack of tolerance toward marginalized groups.

Other councillors also specified ahead of time which way they would vote.

“As an elected representative of the people of Hamilton, it is my duty to uphold the integrity of Council Chambers,” tweeted Coun. Nrinder Nann ahead of the vote.

Her comments echoed those used by government members in Ottawa to deny Parliamentary press gallery entry to Fromm more than a decade ago “to preserve the dignity and integrity of the House.”

Councillors spent more time debating a request to speak at council from Lisa Thompson, a member of the controversial Yellow Vest group that often protests in front of city hall.

Coun. Lloyd Ferguson and Terry Whitehead argued council needs to ensure it has a good reason to deny citizens a chance to speak.

“We don’t need to accept what they say,” said Ferguson, who noted council previously agreed to hear a different group member.

Coun. Maureen Wilson, however, said council could reject the delegation request on procedural rather than ideological grounds. She argued Thompson’s desire to talk about the internal workings of the fractured local yellow vest group is “not germane” to council.

All council members but Ferguson eventually voted to deny Thompson’s request.

Coun. Judi Partridge was not present at the meeting.