There are fine words this week from Professor Ed Byrne, Principal of King’s College, London. Responding to the violence on campus last week, Prof Byrne stresses his opposition to “any form of disruptive action” and how “open and uncensored debate can and must take place without fear of intimidation”. Quite right, too — and King’s have done the proper thing in setting up a speedy inquiry into precisely what happened. But the man whose talk was disrupted, Ami Ayalon, the former head of Israeli intelligence, offers a more pertinent response: simply invite him back. Inquiries and statements of intent are one thing but, by forcing the abandonment of the talk, the thugs have won a form of victory. The most appropriate action now would be twofold. First, to ensure those responsible are properly punished. And, second, to reconvene the meeting so that they will have gained nothing. As Mr Ayalon rightly says: “Once it is freedom of speech on the line, it is probably more important to come and speak. I believe it is your democracy that you will have to defend.”