University of Sydney declines to evict pro-Palestine protest camp as Deakin, ANU give marching orders
Universities in Melbourne and Canberra are cracking down on pro-Palestine encampments but the 90-strong contingent at the University of Sydney will be left alone, the uni has confirmed.
Tertiary
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tertiary. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The University of Sydney has no plans to evict pro-Palestine protesters camping out on its grounds despite crackdowns from interstate universities.
Deakin University in Melbourne and the Australian National University in Canberra have now given marching orders to activist campers on their campuses, calling for the “immediate dismantling” of their tent cities.
However, when asked if Sydney would follow Deakin and ANU’s lead, a spokeswoman confirmed the protesters would be left to their own devices while their activities were “primarily … peaceful and civil”.
“Since the encampment began, we’ve had regular contact with the protesters about our expectations of conduct and to address safety and wellbeing,” she said.
“Our focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of our community, ensuring our campus remains peaceful and our University activities can continue uninterrupted.”
Entering a third week, the ‘Gaza solidarity camp’ has spread from a handful of tents near the quadrangle to nearly 90 scattered across the lawns, with protesters in a stand-off with the administration over stalled negotiations.
The USYD spokeswoman said senior representatives have had “productive and open conversations” with the postgraduate students’ union SUPRA and University of Sydney Union, but have been “disappointed” by a lack of “constructive engagement” from the Student Representative Council and Sydney University Muslim Association.
“(We) remain open to meeting in a private and neutral place where discussions are able to take place without interruptions,” she said.
The activist camp collective took to social media on Wednesday to issue an ultimatum, labelling the request for privacy “unacceptable” and counter-offering uni reps the choice of meeting either in the encampment itself or in a town hall “open to all staff and students … at a lecture theatre on campus” on Friday at 10am.
“We have nothing to hide,” the statement read.
“Nor do we truly believe that anywhere on this campus could be genuinely “neutral”; you remain the people … with the ability, explicitly threatened in past communication, to discipline us.”
It is understood while SUPRA and the USU have offered support, they are not actively involved in the organisation of the encampment.
Further south, the University of Wollongong has gone to ground and refused to answer questions on the future of its Palestine camp, declining to add to a lone previous public statement respecting “the right to peaceful protest” and voicing “deep concern about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the profound loss of life”.
The sole encampment in NSW outside of Sydney has grown to around a dozen tents.
The two universities’ inaction has come under fire from the Australian Jewish Association for “failing” their students, prompting CEO Robert Gregory to call for the Sydney Vice-Chancellor’s resignation.
“The encampment has been anything but peaceful and civil and has included pro-genocidal chants,” he said.
“It has made life for Jewish students and staff at the University of Sydney intolerable, (and) some are now avoiding campus.
“If Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott can’t do his job and protect the students and staff, he should resign.”
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s Alex Ryvchin applauded Deakin and ANU’s “welcome and overdue” pledge to remove their encampments, and called on other universities to “quickly follow” their example.
Shadow Education Minister Sarah Henderson said the government must do “whatever it takes to restore order and safety” at the nation’s universities.“The encampments are fuelling horrific levels of hate, incitement, and antisemitism on university campuses and must be shut down,” she said.
Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email tips@dailytelegraph.com.au
Sydney Uni clashes with pro-Palestine activists on new protest rules
The University of Sydney administration has once again clashed with pro-Palestine activist students and staff, this time over new rules explicitly banning encampments.
Sydney uni boss was warned radical group on campus
Jewish leaders have accused University of Sydney vice chancellor Mark Scott of failing to act on warnings a radical Islamist group had infiltrated the pro-Palestinian encampment as early as May.