Hundreds protest Palestine-Israel conflict at peaceful rally
Palestine supporters and Jewish students have both attended a rally at the same university where they were separated by a line of security.
Hundreds of uni students have attended a rally protesting the Palestine-Israel conflict as students around the world stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
The University of Sydney’s front lawns have been swallowed by tents this week as students continue their peaceful protest against the war.
Similar protests are taking place at university campuses around the world, with one at New York’s Columbia University descending into chaos as police stormed a building, leading to about 300 arrests.
About 500 people gathered at the rally for Palestine on the Camperdown-Darlington campus on Friday morning.
The Students for Palestine organisation said it was expecting a “Zionist counter demonstration” to attend the rally.
About 100 pro-Israel supporters did attend on Friday, calling for university staff to create a safe and inclusive learning environment for Jewish students on campus.
University staff security formed a line to separate the two peaceful protests to ensure there were no clashes.
Earlier in the week, USYD vice-chancellor and president Mark Scott wrote to students and staff with a list of expectations of conduct.
“Recently I wrote to remind our community that at the university we have a long tradition of understanding peaceful protests and freedom of expression can be important demonstrations of free speech,” he said.
“Today, I reaffirm our commitment to freedom of expression and our zero tolerance for any form of racism, threats to safety, hate speech, intimidation, threatening speech, bullying or unlawful harassment, including anti-Semitic or anti-Muslim language or behaviour.
The university said it would take firm and decisive disciplinary action if a student or staff member engaged in unacceptable conduct, including:
- disruption of lectures and classes, preventing other students from learning
- harassing or intimidating staff and students who may hold a different view or simply do not wish to engage in protest or debate
- preventing free movement around campus
- damage to property
The university claimed that the conduct rules were in response to “unacceptable conduct” associated with the encampment.
It said protesters had harassed staff, blocked roads and graffitied slogans on the walls of the quadrangle.
In a statement shared to social media on Thursday, Students for Palestine responded to the allegations, calling them “spurious” and “unsubstantiated”.
“We will continue to engage in our peaceful acts of civil disobedience,” the statement said.
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