Zionist Federation of Australia president wants action taken against University of Melbourne student activists
The Zionist Federation of Australia is urging police to enforce the law on university campuses that are determined to eradicate anti-Semitism.
The Zionist Federation of Australia is urging police to enforce the law on university campuses that are determined to eradicate anti-Semitism, and has warned bigotry and intimidation will be encouraged if students continue to defy rules.
Federation president Jeremy Leibler said anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiment had been allowed to fester on university encampments.
“There needs to be a united effort by university leaders, political leaders and the police to restore university campuses to what they should be – places of learning and free expression, where no one should be afraid because of their religion or ethnicity,” Mr Leibler said.
“Protesters have expressed support for Hamas and have insisted that Jews be barred from campus. They have invaded classes and singled out Jews.
“Now they are defying university instructions to leave, and are illegally occupying university buildings.
“It is vital that university administrators take action. This is no longer just about the safety and emotional wellbeing of the thousands of Jews on Australian campuses, but about the rule of law. If these protesters are allowed to defy university rules, their bigotry and intimidation will only be encouraged.”
The comments came as the University of Melbourne told external actors they were not welcome to protest on their campuses, amid failed attempts to wrangle back control of one of its buildings occupied by activists.
Deputy vice-chancellor Professor Michael Wesley said activists sitting in at the Parkville campus’s Arts West building had forced 150 classes to be rescheduled and caused disruption to 6000 students and staff.
Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni shared a video of himself at the protest where he said the students were “turning things up” and gave a shout out to Labor senator Fatima Payman after she broke ranks with the ALP to accuse Israel of genocide.
He joined members of the university community in calling for the university to cut ties with weapons manufacturers.
Professor Wesley said: “The point I would make is that students have a right to protest but that is not a blank cheque. They have crossed a line when they have occupied the Arts West building.
“They are intimidating, they have invited people who are not students and staff of the university on to our campus to occupy our building and they have caused considerable damage.
“The university’s patience is now at an end.”
Professor Wesley said the protesters should peacefully end the occupation and that the university was seeking advice from police on how to move forward with the situation.
“I would say that all members of our community must comply with the university’s guidelines and codes of conduct. If those codes of conducts are contravened, as they have been now, the people who are carrying them out will face disciplinary action and police action if necessary,” he said.
Student activists are occupying The University of Melbourne’s Arts West building. @australianpic.twitter.com/9VLWl1f7oT
— Tricia Rivera (@tricialeerivera) May 15, 2024
As of Thursday afternoon, student activists remained inside the building and were quietly studying and chatting among themselves.
Australian National University deputy vice-chancellor academic Professor Grady Venville issued a letter to students at the institution involved in the encampment to vacate the site by the end of Friday.
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