UQ student protesters say they would be terrorists, back civilian slayings

Two protesting University of Queensland students who made shocking admissions that they would be terrorists if in Gaza have “left the group of their own accord”. SEE THE VIDEO

Two protesting University of Queensland students who made shocking admissions that they would be terrorists if in Gaza have “left the group of their own accord”.

The pro-Palestinian students at Queensland’s largest university were filmed on camera admitting they would be terrorists if involved in the overseas conflict.

New footage obtained by The Courier-Mail on Thursday shows one UQ student openly discussing his support for Hamas and the killing of Israelis.

“If I lived in Palestine I’d be a terrorist,” he said.

Asked if he would join Hamas, the student replies, “Probably.”

“Now, no, but I haven’t experienced that but if I had … 100 hundred per cent I would join Hamas.”

UQ Students for Palestine representatives Ella Gutteridge and Liam Parry at the St Lucia campus were tensions have been fierce. Picture David Clark

Liam Parry, the student organiser of Students for Palestine - the group leading the University of Queensland pro-Palestine encampment - on Friday confirmed the pair were no longer part of the group.

“I believe they both have left,” Mr Parry said.

“They left of their own accord.”

He also condemned their comments.

“I’d like to make it clear that the views expressed in that video don’t represent the views of our camp,” he said.

“We’re not here to support any particular statements made in this video, we are here to support the people of Palestine.”

The group also claimed they had no involvement in Thursday morning’s attack on school property, when an unknown assailant smashed a glass panel with a bollard.

“We don’t know who this person is, they hid their identity and ran away immediately after smashing a window,” Mr Parry said.

“That’s not what our camp is about, we want collective actions not individual actions like this.”

The camp had requested an open, public meeting with UQ vice-chancellor Deborah Terry earlier this week which was refused.

It’s understood a man threw a bollard at a classroom window at UQ on Thursday, during a rally.

Mr Parry said the vice-chancellor had offered to meet with a small group from the encampment but claimed this was not a suitable arrangement.

“We’ve said to the university we want to negotiate with them but not in a closed door secret meeting,” he said.

“So far the meeting has been one that involves a small number of people, we don’t think that that is in the interest of our camp, we want this process to be open, transparent and for all students that care about this issue to be able to participate.”

Student organiser Ella Gutteridge said the encampment would remain until their demands were met.

“Many people asked us how long we plan to camp out, my response is this is indefinite,” she said.

“We will continue to campaign and fight until there is real change at this university.”

It comes after the students in the video said “As many as necessary, resistance is always necessary” when asked what number of civilian deaths would be justified.

Tensions have been rising between the pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli camps at the University of Queensland.

At pro-Palestinian rally on Thursday a protester launched a bollard at a classroom window, shattering it, while 50 students were inside.

It comes after a 23-year-old West End woman allegedly broke into a Jewish professor’s office on May 1 and urinated on the floor.

The UQ students discuss their support for Hamas.

The disturbing footage was on Thursday night condemned by UQ vice-chancellor Deborah Terry.

“I am horrified by these statements,” Professor Terry said.

“I have requested an urgent meeting with protest camp organisers to address these videos and the incident that occurred earlier today, and we will be working with the police on these matters and, as appropriate, taking action through our staff and student codes of conduct.”

Police have been called to the campus for other disturbances, with investigations under way into alleged assaults on security guards.

University students have spent 12 days camping on campus grounds in protest of the overseas Gaza conflict, with pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli camps just metres opposite from one another.

Camp Shalom, representing the pro-Jewish faction, has faced challenges as some members report feeling targeted and unsafe.

In response, pro-Palestinian camp members maintain their commitment to peaceful protest, distancing themselves from acts of aggression.

A pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Queensland’s St Lucia campus this week. Picture: Richard Walker

Some students now deem it no longer safe to continue the camp protest.

The incident involving the bollard, which occurred at the Hawken Engineering Building, unfolded during an otherwise peaceful rally against UQ ties to the Boeing weapons contractor.

Eyewitness accounts described the perpetrator as a man wearing a dark green raincoat and hood, who quickly fled the scene.

A security guard later told The Courier-Mail they were instructed not to retaliate and let the student take the bollard.

Students for Palestine spokeswoman Ella Gutteridge confirmed no one in the pro-Palestine camp knew who the offender was.

“They have not been camping with us, and have not attended any of our camp meetings which happen every morning,” she said.

“We would like to send a strong message that we condemn the actions of this individual. This behaviour is not welcome at our events, and anyone who wants to act like this will be told to leave immediately.”

Pro-Palestinian activists protest at UQ on Thursday. Picture: John Gass

UQ condemned the actions of the protester, labelling them as “completely unacceptable”.

“This behaviour is completely unacceptable and is being raised directly with protest organisers as a matter of urgency,” a UQ spokesman said.

Premier Steven Miles, a former UQ student, also cautioned against crossing the line of peaceful protest, warning that there is no room for violence or intimidation.

“If any of these protests overstep that mark, then I would support the university and the police and other authorities doing what is necessary to keep other Queenslanders safe,” he said.

Multicultural Affairs Minister Charis Mullen said while the government would always support the right to peaceful protest, violence, bullying and hate crimes were unacceptable.

“This is why we have enacted serious vilification and hate crimes laws in our state,” she said.

“I would urge calm and respect from all parties.”