‘Time to pack your bags’: Barrister calls for Sydney University boss to resign amid anti-Semitism row

A colourful barrister has been turned away from the University of Sydney while demanding “weak and gutless” Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott resign.

A high-profile criminal barrister draped in an Israeli flag has staged a mini-protest at the University of Sydney, calling on “weak and gutless” Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott to resign for failing to protect Jewish staff and students from anti-Semitism on campus.

Colourful Sydney legal personality and podcaster Peter Lavac, joined by Ukrainian IT businessman Michael Kerry, marched to the university on Wednesday morning attempting to deliver an open letter to Professor Scott demanding he step down.

“We’re not Jewish, we are both gentiles but we proudly display the Star of David and the Israeli flags,” Mr Lavac said in the letter.

“Our religions are irrelevant. What is relevant we are ordinary Australians standing up and speaking out on behalf of the silent majority … who are disgusted with the vile anti-Semitism that prevails on your campus under your leadership, on your watch.”

Barrister Peter Lavac is turned away after attempting to meet with University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott. Picture: Supplied

Describing himself as a “former student of this once proud and previously tolerant university”, Mr Lavac said they “proudly stand with our Australian Jewish friends who are appalled and sickened by the obscene atrocities of October 7”.

He accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of having “betrayed” Israel and Australian Jews “by failing to protect them against the vile anti-Semitism that is now raging on our own soil because he is terrified of losing Muslim votes”.

“What a disgraceful indictment on the Australian government that Australian Jews now feel safer in Israel than they do in Sydney.”

Mr Lavac said he was demanding Prof Scott’s resignation “because you, like our Prime Minister, are too weak and gutless to protect Jewish students and staff on your campus, on your watch” and had failed in his duty of care to “provide a safe place for study and work”.

The legal personality said the university had turned into a ‘toxic swamp of intolerance’. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“Your university has degenerated into a toxic swamp of intolerance, neo-Marxist left-wing cancel culture and a cesspit of repugnant racist anti-Semitism, under your fatally flawed leadership,” he said.

“You exacerbated the problem by allowing anti-Semitic activists to camp on your front lawns to spew hatred and vitriol … You recently apologised in parliament and admitted that you got it wrong, that you f**ked up. Too little, too late. Your position is no longer tenable. It is time to pack your bags.”

Mr Lavac said the pair were unsurprisingly turned away by security.

“He doesn’t want to talk to us,” he said.

“When I was here many years ago this was a fantastic institution. What’s happened here and other universities, they’ve been infiltrated by neo-Marxist left-wing ideology which is intolerant of any views except their own. The biggest problem in this country now is cancel culture. Ordinary Aussies are too scared to stand up and speak out.”

Jewish students and staff have demanded the Vice-Chancellor’s resignation. Picture: Britta Campion/The Australian

The former Hong Kong crown prosecutor suggested “as a result of this we might even get death threats”.

“Death threats don’t phase me in the slightest,” he said. “All I say is if you want to threaten me do it to my face.”

It comes after the Vice-Chancellor appeared before a Senate committee last month where he admitted he had “failed” Jewish students and staff at the prestigious university following months of reported harassment and abuse from pro-Palestine protesters in the wake of the October 7 attacks last year.

“I’ve read the complaints that have been made to the university, and all those shared in submissions in this inquiry and to the special envoy, and the testimonials are heartbreaking and unacceptable and for that I am sorry,” he told the Senate.

“No one should feel at risk, unsafe, or unwelcome, at any place of learning. And no one should feel the need to hide their identity or stay away from classrooms or campuses.”

Following the long-awaited apology, a group of around 60 current and former University of Sydney academics also called on the former ABC managing director to resign, saying there was “too much mistrust and too much damage”.

Professor Scott last month admitted the university had ‘failed’. Picture: Jane Dempster/The Australian

At least seven people from the group — which included Jewish and non-Jewish staff and former staff — have resigned, including Jodi Rosenthal, who told The Australian she felt she “had to hide” her Jewish identity for safety.

“I have a Star of David I wear that I covered up walking though those areas — nothing felt comfortable for a long time,” she said. “I’ve never had that feeling in Australia.”

The calls were echoed by the University of Sydney’s Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS).

“AUJS’s stance is that there needs to be trust between the leadership of the university and the Jewish students and Jewish community,” AUJS president Zac Wine told the newspaper.

“There’s no trust between AUJS and Mark Scott’s office, there’s no trust that he is able create a supportive environment on campus. While Mark Scott is in office, I do not believe the relationship can be repaired because of what he has done over the last many months.”

On Tuesday, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced the surge in anti-Semitism at universities would be the subject of an inquiry and report from the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights.

Last month’s Senate committee recommended the inquiry after receiving hundreds of submissions from Jewish students and staff.

The inquiry will consider the prevalence, nature and experiences of anti-Semitism at universities, including frameworks and policies to prevent and respond to it and support provided to students and staff, the government said.

A pro-Palestine march at the University of Sydney in June. Picture: Noah Yim/The Australian

Mr Dreyfus said Jewish students and staff had told him they no longer felt welcome on campus and didn’t believe their universities cared about them.

“This is an intolerable situation and urgent action is needed to address the tensions on university campuses to protect the safety of students and staff,” he said.

“The Albanese government is committed to ensuring we deal effectively with this disturbing situation.”

The committee has been asked report to the parliament by March 31, 2025.

But Liberal Senator and shadow Education Minister Sarah Henderson said the move was “shockingly inadequate”, and the opposition wanted to see a Commission of Inquiry with Royal Commission-like powers as recommended by Jillian Segal, Australia’s special envoy to combat anti-Semitism.

“The university hierarchy, almost across the board … do not appreciate the extent of the difficulty, the embedded anti-Semitism,” Ms Segal said last month.

Mr Lavac said he did not believe the inquiry announced this week would achieve anything.

“What this needs is a Royal Commission into anti-Semitism in Australian institutions like Sydney University — Sydney is the worst of the lot,” he said.

Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory said the University of Sydney “has the worst record of any university in Australia when it comes to tolerating anti-Semitism”.

“We have heard from numerous Jewish students and staff who feel abandoned and unsafe,” he said.

“The buck must stop at Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott. It is time for Mark Scott to admit his failure and resign. It is heartwarming to see non-Jewish Australians speak up on this issue. The vast majority of Australians are repulsed by the surge in anti-Semitism. We are grateful for those who refuse to be bystanders.”

A spokeswoman for the University of Sydney said “our Senate and Chancellor David Thodey are committed to working with our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark Scott, to ensure our University is free from any form of discrimination”.

“We’ve been very clear that we condemn all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia,” she said.

“The safety of our community is always our top priority. We know this is an unsettling and upsetting time for some in our community and we urge anyone who feels unsafe or needs support to let us know so we can investigate and provide appropriate assistance.”

She said the university was “listening to our community and working with them to implement a range of initiatives to ensure people of all backgrounds and beliefs feel safe, respected and welcomed on our campuses”.

“We have launched an external review of our policies and processes, increased our security presence and are investing in educational programs for our students and staff,” she said.

“We are deeply committed to working with the sector, the government and Australia’s special envoys to address anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and social cohesion.”

— with NCA NewsWire

Originally published as ‘Time to pack your bags’: Barrister calls for Sydney University boss to resign amid anti-Semitism row