ANU orders Pro-Palestine protesters to vacate campus
The Australian National University has told protesters to dismantle their campus encampments, becoming the second uni to order its students to do so.
Australian National University (ANU) has directed protesters to vacate their pro-Palestine encampments, according to the tertiary education union, becoming the second university to order its students to dismantle their camps.
Yesterday, protesters at Deakin declared they would not move after the university ordered they shut down their protest encampment.
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said they would stand by the students, with a protest to “Save the ANU Gaza Solidarity Encampment” planned for Thursday.
“Today, @ourANU has directed students to collect belongings & vacate the ANU Gaza Solidarity Encampment effective Friday,” the NTEU wrote on Twitter.
“@NTEUACT stands with students, and in support of academic freedom, freedom of speech, and peaceful protest. We’ll be there to support at 12pm tomorrow.”
Today, @ourANU has directed students to collect belongings & vacate the ANU Gaza Solidarity Encampment effective Friday.@NTEUACT stands with students, and in support of academic freedom, freedom of speech, and peaceful protest. We'll be there to support at 12pm tomorrow. ✊ pic.twitter.com/XoaLwHoPxi
— NTEU ACT (@NTEUACT) May 15, 2024
The Australian understands that encampment organisers were told to “vacate” the encampment at a meeting with university administration earlier today.
A spokesperson for the university confirmed a meeting took place.
“ANU can confirm the university held a meeting today with ANU students participating in the encampment on our campus,” they said.
“The meeting was to discuss how ANU students could continue to protest in a manner that ensures the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at ANU.
“The university has communicated its expectations to ANU students in this meeting.
“As per the university’s code of conduct and student discipline rule, ANU expects participants to follow these reasonable directions.
“The university supports students’ right to protest but these activities must be safe and not cause unnecessary harm or damage to our campus or community.”
Protesters warned about looming action
The university had this morning threatened disciplinary action against pro-Palestine encampment protesters unless they showed up to a ten-minute meeting with university administration to be told of their new restrictions.
It came after the protesters did not respond to an invitation to a meeting earlier this week, after the university warned them their encampment protest was “dividing our community and causing … harm”.
“I am now directing that you personally attend a meeting with me,” deputy vice-chancellor Grady Venville wrote to organisers on Tuesday. “The purpose of Wednesday’s meeting is to inform you of some restrictions I intend to impose on the current protest activities.”
“I have decided to impose these restrictions on the protest and encampment activities to address some of the concerns I have about the safety and wellbeing of participants, as well as the university community as a whole, and to minimise any damage the encampment may be causing to university property.
“Non-attendance at this meeting, and non-compliance with reasonable directions, may be referred for inquiry under the discipline rule.”
The meeting on Wednesday morning was scheduled for just ten minutes.
The ANU on Friday announced that “where debate has shifted to causing hate and hurt, we are stepping in”. This came after widespread condemnation following allegations that students had performed Nazi-inspired gestures at a student meeting where Jewish students had tried to address what they saw as growing anti-Semitism on campus.
The latest email to encampment protesters said they did not engage at all with the university’s warning on Friday.
“There was no response to the invitation, no representatives were nominated, and no-one attended the meeting,” it read.
“This invitation noted the university’s willingness to work with the encampment participants to discuss ways to enable the protest to continue in a respectful manner.
“I reiterate this willingness again. However, in order to have a meaningful discussion, participation is required.”
This comes as universities increasingly appear to be taking a firmer stance with the pro-Palestine encampments they have been playing host to in previous weeks.
Yesterday, protesters declared they would not move after Deakin University ordered they dismantle their protest encampment.
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