ANU revokes expulsion for student who supported Hamas

The Australian National University has backed down on expelling a protest leader who declared Australians should support Hamas, according to the activist who is back on campus months after pro-Palestine tent protests sparked a ferocious debate on freedom of expression.

Beatrice Tucker was expelled and banned from stepping foot on the prestigious Canberra institution’s grounds after saying Hamas, which carried out the worst massacre of Jews since World War II, should not be condemned for the October 7 attacks.

Pro-Palestine rallies on campus spawned a national debate on the limits of free speech earlier this year.Credit: AAP

The university believed the comments may have breached laws prohibiting support for terror groups. Its contentious call to kick Tucker off campus represented one of the toughest actions taken by universities as Coalition MPs and Jewish groups argued for the protesters to be booted off campuses, prompting civil libertarians to raise free-speech concerns.

“I actually say that Hamas deserve our unconditional support,” Tucker, a member of Students and Staff Against War ANU, said on ABC Radio in April.

“Not because I agree with their strategy. But the situation at hand is if you have no hope, if you are sanctioned every day of your life, if you’re told you’re not allowed to drive down a road because somebody who is Israeli gets to have preference and you sit there for 12 hours. [That’s] the reality of life in Palestine.”

Tucker, who was contacted for comment, wrote in social media posts this week: “My expulsion has been overturned babeeeyyyy!”

“Guess who got to step onto ANU campus today after 4 long fighting months.”

“Just wanna affirm that Palestini4ns have the right to res1st, by any means necessary as recognised under international law & we have to continue to fight to say so.”

The university refused to answer questions on Tucker’s case, but said it was reviewing its appeals process without explaining the nature or cause of the review.

“ANU does not comment on specific disciplinary matters. However, the university takes seriously any alleged behaviour or speech that contravenes our values as a community, and which go against our codes of conduct,” an ANU spokeswoman said in a statement.

Australian Union of Jewish Students ACT presidents Mia Kline and Maya Grynberg demanded answers from vice chancellor Genevieve Bell.

Professor Genevieve Bell stepped in during a debate on pro-Palestine encampments.Credit: Michael Quelch

“We must also insist that the ANU take this matter further by seeking an external review of
the decision of the appeals committee in a competent tribunal or court,” they said in a letter.

“It simply cannot be that students should have to continue to share their learning space with
someone who has offered their unequivocal support to a listed terrorist organisation – one
that has at its core a genocidal intent towards Jews and Israelis.”

Jeremy Leibler, president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, said: “ANU is setting a loud and clear precedent to other students that they can say and do whatever they want with zero consequences. This is a total failure of leadership”.

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