Universities cancel October 7 ‘victory’ speaker Sami Hamdi

One Australian university has banned British Muslim speaker Sami Hamdi and another has cancelled his planned speaking engagement.

British Muslim speaker Sami Hamdi.

One Australian university has banned British Muslim speaker Sami Hamdi and another has cancelled his planned speaking engagement.

“I have made the decision that an individual who made unacceptable comments in the days following the terror attacks of 7 October 2023 will not be ­allowed to speak on campus,” University of Queensland vice-chancellor Deborah Terry told The Weekend Australian.

“This decision was not taken lightly but the safety and wellbeing of our community must be my priority.”

The University of Western Australia also confirmed it had decided to cancel the event after “careful consideration”.

“Consistent with UWA’s code for the protection of speech and academic freedom, UWA affirms the right of all persons to engage in lawful and respectful expression of their views,” a university spokesperson said. “However, the university also has a duty to foster the overall wellbeing, including psychosocial wellbeing, of all its students and staff.”

This comes after The Australian revealed on Tuesday that Mr Hamdi, who addressed the University of Sydney pro-Palestine encampment protest that day, had previously made controversial comments.

In a video posted 11 days after Hamas killed 1200 Israelis, most of them civilians, Mr Hamdi urged an audience to “celebrate the victory”, while wiping away tears.

“How many of you feel it in your hearts when you got the news that it happened? How many of you felt the euphoria? ­Allahu Akbar! How many of you felt it?” he said.

Mr Hamdi ­denies he was talking about the October 7 massacre, and says the “victory” he was talking about was global acknowledgment of Palestinians.

Mr Hamdi is currently on an Australian tour.

A University of Queensland spokesperson has previously said that the venue booking for Mr Hamdi had made before the “current encampments on campus”.

Lawyers for Mr Hamdi said the universities had been “misled” by The Australian’s report.

“Our client is an internationally renowned geopolitical risk analyst,” they said.

“Our client’s commentary was provided in his capacity as a geopolitical risk analyst, where he was illustrating that there is now international recognition that ­efforts to normalise relations in the Middle East must include ­Palestinian voices.

“The ‘victory’ referred to in our client’s commentary was that Palestine was now sitting at the table and being consulted in negotiations about normalising relations with Israel in the Middle East.

“Our client has also clarified in numerous talks that he condemns the deaths of civilians on 7 October 2023.”