University of Sydney pro-Palestine ‘Trots’ ambush Jewish event, abuse former deputy prime minister
The University of Sydney activists ambushed a Jewish organisation’s event dressed as terrorists and harassed former deputy prime minister John Anderson, peppering him with slurs and abuse.
Pro-Palestine “Trots” behind encampments at Australia’s oldest university ambushed a Jewish organisation’s event dressed as terrorists and harassed former deputy prime minister John Anderson, peppering him with slurs and abuse.
It has led to doxxing concerns and a police complaint in an escalation of the crisis engulfing some of Australia’s most prestigious universities.
On Wednesday, activists from the “USYD Muslim Encampments” group – a spearhead behind the University of Sydney encampments – orchestrated a “Zoom bombing” of the Australian Jewish Association’s online event with former Nationals leader Mr Anderson, with one activist calling him a “c**t
That activist, who hid behind a turned-off camera and a fake “Tony Abbott” name, hurled abuse at the former deputy prime minister, telling him to “shut the f**k up” and “shut your mouth you old c**t”.
“You’re a bunch of Zionists, grubs … stop yapping,” the activist continued. Another accused him of being a “professional racist”.
The event was not about Israel but on Australia’s foreign and domestic policy, which its organisers have said rubbishes the protesters’ claims they are solely opposing Zionism and not targeting Jewish people.
“We will be Zoom bombing this meeting – (there will be instructions) … please follow them to ensure maximum interference,” one of the group’s WhatsApp admins wrote.
AJA president Dr David Adler spoke with NSW Police over the weekend, and will formally send the material as part of a complaint on Monday. The organisation’s CEO, Robert Gregory, called the university the “headquarters of harassment and intimidation”.
“The university stood by while Jewish students and staff have been intimidated, now the campus has become the headquarters for the harassment of the wider community,” he said, saying the “lie” that encampment activists were “only” targeting Israel had been exposed.
“It’s clear that the university campus is being used to target the Jewish community.”
Mr Gregory urged the university to expel any student involved and said he hoped police would consider charging anyone with using a carriage service to harass or menace.
It’s understood at least one person involved is a board member of the Sydney University Muslim Students’ Association, who have been contacted for comment.
“Dressing up as Islamic terrorists while doxxing members of the Jewish community is intended to intimidate Jews,” Mr Gregory said.
A “Zoom bombing guide” told members to create “dummy emails … which cannot be traced back” and a list was circulated for members to choose display names that “looked legit” and weren’t “obvious”.
“Don’t make it like ‘Abu Yahood’ or something,” an admin wrote, encouraging members to tape over their cameras so they were “safe”.
About 15 members “Zoom bombed” the event with one wearing attire similar to Hamas militants.
Videos were then plastered across social media, platforming the activists’ ambush, but also those members of the public who were on the call.
Mr Gregory said that many elderly participants were now scared to attend future events and one, who wished not to be named, said it was “frightening”.
“I am concerned that (the activists) got my name and also what I look like …. I never imagined this could happen,” they said.
Federal Opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Henderson called it an “appalling anti-Semitic attack” and said she hoped it would be “fully investigated”.
“The university must determine whether anyone responsible for infiltrating this event are students and, if so, take appropriate disciplinary action, including expulsion,” the senator said.
“Failure to treat this incident seriously would provide further evidence the university is not a safe place for Jewish students.”
Senator Henderson said the Coalition remained “deeply concerned” about the rise of anti-Semitism across universities, urging the government to back its bid for a judicial inquiry into the issue.
It follows federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton at Bondi’s Central Synagogue urging parents to speak out against indoctrination amid soaring anti-Semitism on campuses, telling Jewish leaders that the Albanese government had “lost its moral compass”.
At the same synagogue three weeks ago the prime minister dismissed pro-Palestine protesters encamped at universities as “Trots” who were “just looking to instigate trouble”.
A Monash University-led poll of more than 7600 Jewish Australians found 64 per cent believed anti-Semitism was “very much” a problem since October 7 – ten-times higher than responses to a similar question in 2017.
A University of Sydney spokeswoman said it had been in “regular contact” with activists about “expectations of conduct” and that it was making inquiries into the incident.
“We are seeking further information in relation to this incident and we will not hesitate to take action if we find there is a breach by a student or a staff member of our bullying, harassment and discrimination policy, or other policies,” she said, saying the university was in “daily contact” with protesters.
“So far, the encampment has been largely calm and respectful and we have investigated any incidents that have involved inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour.
“Our absolute priority is the safety of our community, and we’ve increased our security presence as a precautionary measure. We continue to carefully monitor the gathering at our Quadrangle and actively engage in a civil and peaceful manner.”
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