“Speech is only free at certain times of the day it would seem.”

A sad but probably shrewd assessment of the realities of being invited to speak on a contentious subject, especially one as guaranteed to polarize emotions as bullfighting.

Few would say the arguments for banning the spectacle are in any way misjudged or ill-informed. However, bullfighting is, rightly or wrongly, still practised legally as a ‘sport’ abroad.

The fact that Alexander Fiske-Harrison, an Oxford writer who trained to become a matador, has now published a book on the subject does not excuse, in any way, the numerous death threats he claims he has received.

Indeed, the writer was scheduled to talk at lunchtime today at Blackwell’s bookshop in Broad Street but was forced to cancel after the store itself was sent threats.

There are subjects and issues on which all of us have strong opinions, but thankfully we live in a country which regards freedom of speech as one of the cornerstones of democratic society. The right to explain, to reason, to argue and disagree should not be censored by fear of threat and intimidation.

So, vent your disgust and disapproval, but don’t resort to threats of physical violence as a means of ensuring your voice is the only one heard.