Sydney University faces possible lawsuit from Jewish students and academic staff
After weeks of incidents and a anti-Israel tent city encampment on its prestigious campus grounds, a call out has been made for Jewish students and staff to join a class action against Sydney University.
NSW
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A Sydney law firm is planning on launching a class lawsuit seeking damages against Sydney University on behalf of Jewish students and staff over racial vilification and breaches of duty of care and safety.
The Surry Hills based firm, Levitt Robinson is calling for students and staff affected by “toxic” attacks on Jews at the university to join the class action in the Federal Court.
The law firm says it will use instructing counsel Adam Butt, who successfully won a major case for the Jewish community against the Victorian government over anti-Semitism at Brighton Secondary College.
“The sustained and toxic nature of the attacks on Jews at Sydney University have had a grave effect on the psyche of students and academics alike,” the law firm states in a call for prospective clients to register their interest.
The firm will seek damages for breaches of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, including racial vilification Section 18C and breach of duty of care owed to academics and students, breaches of contract between academics and students and Occupational Health and Safety breaches.
It follows weeks of anti-Israel protests, an encampment of tents on its campus and multiple incidents reported of anti-Semitism.
Human Rights Advocate Dana Levitt, from the law firm, said specific details of the lawsuit were not yet available as the class action was yet to be filed.
“As such it would be prejudicial to our clients and prospective group members to provide further detail, answer questions and or provide comment at this stage,” she said.
Sydney University says it has seen the announcement and “will consider our response”.
The Australian Jewish Association’s chief executive Robert Gregory said Jewish students and staff had been “abandoned by the university in the face of extreme hatred and intimidation”.
The campus is a toxic environment for Jewish students and staff.
“The University of Sydney has completely failed its Jewish students and staff,” he said.
“We have received numerous, concerning reports of anti-Jewish intimidation and harassment on campus. Instead of removing the hate encampment, the university has surrendered to the camp’s demands.
“It certainly doesn’t surprise me that legal action is being contemplated but it is upsetting that the University of Sydney has allowed the situation to deteriorate this badly.
“I suspect there is a very strong legal case against the university.”
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