Palestine campaigner students wear keffiyehs at University of Melbourne graduation ceremonies

Nine University of Melbourne students have worn Palestinian keffiyeh scarves at graduation ceremonies, with the Vice-chancellor ordering they be tucked under gowns.

Nine University of Melbourne students have worn Palestinian keffiyeh scarves at graduation ceremonies, the Herald Sun can reveal.

Vice-chancellor Duncan Maskell has confirmed the students were all asked to “tuck them under their gowns” and all did so.

Professor Maskell said 3200 students have attended recent graduation events at nine separate ceremonies, with graduands bound by rules requiring them to wear official academic gowns over their personal clothing.

“Our focus remains on creating a safe and secure environment for all our students and their families during the graduation ceremonies, which are an important milestone in their lives,” he wrote in a letter to Senator Sarah Henderson.

Senator Henderson had written to Mr Maskell expressing concern about the safety of Jewish students at the university in light of planned protests by pro-Palestinian students.

Social media posts from the #unimelbforpalestine group say they will have keffiyehs to hand out to students “as a sign of solidarity for Palestine, freedom and justice” at the ceremonies.

“Reach out if you want one,” the post says.

A recent post from the group notes that “while students at UniMelb are graduating, universities and academic institutions in Gaza and being bombed”.

“It cannot be ‘business as usual’ while the University of Melbourne actively participates in the genocide of the Palestinian people.”

Professor Maskell replied to Senator Henderson saying that as a “diverse, multicultural and multi-faith community, the University of Melbourne deplores and actively stands against all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia”.

“These difficult times demand calm and compassionate leadership; the safety of all our students will be compromised if the flames of division are fanned,” he said.

Sarah Henderson said she was “concerned that university students are being encouraged to wear a keffiyeh as a symbol of protest when graduating which is not only provocative but raises serious safety concerns for Jewish students.”

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said universities should be places of free intellectual debate in the classroom.

“Attempts by Pro-Palestinian groups to hijack graduation ceremonies with symbols that are code for violent resistance will make Jewish students feel unsafe and are totally inappropriate,” Mr Leibler said.