University of Sydney faces class action by Jewish students and staff

The University of Sydney faces a potential class action lawsuit as a leading barrister seeks Jewish students and academics to join on as prospective plaintiffs.

Pro-Palestine protests at The University of Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The University of Sydney faces a potential class action lawsuit as a leading barrister seeks Jewish students and academics to join on as prospective plaintiffs.

Law firm Levitt Robinson and barrister Adam Butt have issued a call-out to Jewish students and academics, saying “the sustained and toxic nature of the attacks on Jews at Sydney University have had a grave effect on the psyche of students and academics alike”. They left open the prospect of bringing claims against other institutions but specifically named the University of Sydney.

They alleged “breaches of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, including racial vilification (sections 9 and 18C …), breach of duty of care owed to academics and students, breaches of contract between academics and students, and occupational health and safety breaches”.

This comes after over a month of unrest at university campuses after pro-Palestine protest encampments heightened tensions.

“Universities now seek to make deals with student and academic rabblerousers, those who care so passionately about delivering the state of Israel to Islamist terrorists,” the Levitt Robinson call-out reads.

“These students are led by academics who have goaded them to support the raising of the Hamas flag as a symbol of honour and virtue and to advocate for ongoing “global intifada”, not just against the state of Israel but directed against all of its worldwide supporters, who overwhelmingly are, as the propagators of anti-Semitism would know, Jews who look to Israel as a national home for the Jewish people.

“Our children are scared to study on campus. They choose relatively ‘safe routes’ when they must attend classes, like Jews living in pre-Holocaust Europe. We know how that ended.”

A University of Sydney spokesperson said the university would “consider (its) response” to the potential lawsuit. “We never tolerate any form of racism, hate speech, threatening speech or unlawful harassment, including anti-Semitic or Islamophobic language or behaviour,” they said.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said the “fact students and staff feel so let down by their universities that they have to contemplate private legal action brings shame to our higher education sector”.