‘A vital moment’: Australian pro-Palestine campus protesters vow to stay on as tensions brew

Pro-Palestine camps have been established across a number of Australian universities to protest involvement in the Israel-Gaza war. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

At Australian National University (ANU) on Thursday, pro-Palestinian protestors plant an olive tree on the campus lawns. A short distance away, counter-protestors sing Israeli pop songs.

For the past three nights, around 40 pro-Palestinian protestors have camped out in near-zero degree temperatures at the university’s campus in solidarity with an ongoing movement in the US. They’ve relied on the kindness of Canberrans for food and bedding.

“The safest place to be in winter is at home in your comfy bed,” encampment organiser Skye Predavec says. “But I guess we’re all here because we’re willing to risk a a little bit of our health and put ourselves on the line for a cause that we think is worth it.”

In America, hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters have been arrested across US campuses after a weeks-long protest movement over the Israel-Gaza war that has put student demonstrators at odds with university leadership.

In Australia, where encampments are entering their second week, there have been no arrests. But tensions are also rising, with protestors vowing to maintain their presence in spite of growing opposition.

How the movement has played out in Australia

Australia’s first pro-Palestine encampment was established at the University of Sydney last Tuesday. They have since spread to ANU, the University of Queensland (UQ), the University of Melbourne, Monash University and Curtin University.

The students want disclosure of and divestment from all university activities that support Israel, as well as a ceasefire and the end of government ties to the Jewish state.

No arrests have been made so far, but on Wednesday evening, the University of Sydney’s vice-chancellor, Mark Scott, wrote to staff denouncing “unacceptable” behaviour by protestors, including graffitiing, harassing staff and blocking road access.

“We are investigating these violations of our policies in the usual way, including cooperating with police investigations where alleged unacceptable conduct might have broken the law,” he wrote.

“From time to time, in the interests of safety, some buildings may be placed in secure mode meaning a valid student or staff card will be required to enter.”

Vice-chancellors, including Scott and the University of Melbourne’s Duncan Maskell, have so far maintained the rights of students to peacefully protest on campus, so long as policies aren’t breached.

On Thursday afternoon, police were onsite at the University of Melbourne to monitor a “rally against hate” organised by the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) in protest of a camp established on the south lawn.

The event, attended by the Zionist Federation of Australia and a small number of staff, occurred at the same time as a pro-Palestine rally. Although it was broadly peaceful, an person was escorted offsite, Melbourne University student publication Farrago reported, and a temporary picket line was established.

The Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) says more decisive action is needed, and is calling for a roundtable to address what it describes as the “vilification of Jewish students” on university campuses.

It points to a string of incidents including a flag depicting an internationally recognised terrorist organisation erected at UQ and removed upon university request, and controversy over an ABC Radio interview in which one ANU organiser offered “unconditional support” for Hamas and another refused to condemn the terrorist group.

“We are already seeing the glorification of violence against Jews and public displays of support for Hamas, alongside radical, non-student actors being allowed to operate on campus,” AUJS says in a statement.

“We will always defend robust debate, but racial vilification is never acceptable.”

Intimidation of protesters

Some protestors have faced intimidation. At Monash, police and security were required late on Wednesday evening following disruptions at the newly established camp.

Connor Knight, a Students for Palestine member, alleged a group of mostly middle-aged men descended on the camp at around 12am dressed in Australian and Israeli flags and destroyed parts of the infrastructure, including the camp kitchen.

He alleged that one protester’s tent was shaken while she was trying to sleep. Police were called and moved 10 people on without arrest.

“Our camp is peaceful,” Knight says. “The recent moment in the US has been one of the most inspiring radical student movements in history … we are not going to be stopped. We’re ready to make this even bigger.”

A spokesperson for Monash says it’s “proud” of the university’s long history of diverse views but won’t tolerate unacceptable conduct.

“We have, and will continue to, work with organisers and relevant authorities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all individuals,” a spokesperson says.

The minister for education, Jason Clare, has been speaking with vice-chancellors, pressing that maintaining the safety and students of staff is paramount.

“There is no place for antisemitism, Islamophobia or racism of any kind in our universities or anywhere else,” he says. “We have got to work here to keep our community together, not let it get torn apart.”

But the shadow education minister, Sarah Henderson, says vice-chancellors are “failing to act against this ugly tide of hatred”, calling on management to expel participating students.

The opposition leader has backed her stance. Speaking on 2GB on Thursday, Peter Dutton urged the prime minister to “show some backbone” and end the “nonsense protests”.

“We wouldn’t tolerate it if it was a campus protest against people of Indigenous heritage or people of the Islamic community or people of tall stature,” he said.

Free Palestine Melbourne organiser Bella Beiraghi says the movement is inclusive and peaceful – adding Jewish activists have been central to dispel myths Judaism can be conflated with Zionism.

A study space has been set up outside the tents to ensure nobody misses coursework. On sunnier days, tutors have opted to hold their classes on the lawn – to watch history unfold.

“This is a really vital moment,” Beiraghi says.

“Most universities and schools in Gaza have been bombed and destroyed. The onus is on us to stand in solidarity with Palestinian people.”