It’s ‘complete fascism’: Malcolm Turnbull on university protest

Malcolm Turnbull condemns students who swarmed the former PM at a University of Sydney speaking ­engagement.

Malcolm Turnbull was interrupted by students during his appearance at the University of Sydney.

Malcolm Turnbull has called a protest against him “complete fascism” after students at the ­University of Sydney on Thursday swarmed the former prime minister while he was on campus for a speaking ­engagement.

Mr Turnbull at the University of Sydney.

Students who were part of the representative council hurled insults at Mr Turnbull, calling him “ruling-class scum” and someone who “wouldn’t listen to anyone below” him.

Mr Turnbull attended his alma mater to speak with the Sydney University Law Society but left before the event started, with police escorting him out of the venue.

The former Liberal leader said it was a “very sad day” for the university and free speech no longer existed.

“There’s no free speech at ­Sydney University unless the people with the loudhailers allow it to happen … I don’t know what they’re paying the senate and ­officials at the university for if they’re not in charge of their own campus,” he told Nine News­papers.

Mr Turnbull asked students at the event “how many of you would like me to speak today, or how many of you would like me to leave?” to which several students shouted at him to leave.

“How many of you would like to pay $100,000 for university? “F..k back off to Mosman, f..k back off to Wentworth,” one student on stage responded.

The university’s student publication shared videos of the protest and identified several members of the representative council as taking part in the ­scuffle.

The University of Sydney issued an apology to Mr Turnbull, saying it hoped to warmly welcome him back in the future.

Protesters labelled Mr Turnbull and the Liberal Party as “one of the single most damaging forces to higher education”.

NSW police confirmed about 20 people were removed from the premises.

Mr Turnbull graduated from the University of Sydney with a bachelor of law in 1978.