Another Australian University Orders Closure of Gaza University Campuses
Pro-Palestine students at universities across Australia have established more than a dozen encampments and are firm in their decision to remain in place.
Another university has taken action to dismantle a pro-Palestine encampment, while another threatens police intervention against protesters conducting a sit-in on campus.
Australian National University in Canberra has instructed students to prepare to leave the camp after meeting with organizers on May 15.
“The university has outlined its expectations … ANU anticipates that participants will comply with these reasonable directives,” a spokeswoman stated.
The National Tertiary Education Union in ACT mentioned that students were asked to gather their belongings and vacate the encampment by May 10.
Deakin University in Melbourne has ordered the immediate dismantling and removal of a similar encampment at its Burwood campus on May 14.
Despite resistance from students, plans were in place for a rally on Wednesday evening.
Pro-Palestine students at universities across Australia have established more than a dozen encampments and are firm in their decision to remain in place.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Kerrie Parker of Deakin University ordered the dismantling of the encampment, citing disruption in campus activities.
Protesters at the University of Melbourne were instructed to leave by 2:30 pm on May 15, but around 100 were still present at 7:30 pm.
Classes at the Arts West building on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne were canceled due to the sit-in protest.
Eventually, the university asked attendees to leave the area by 2:30 pm on May 15, with Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Pip Nicholson providing a one-hour notice to the protesters.
Concerns arose when protesters barricaded themselves in by 4:30 pm, with around 80 still inside and dozens outside chanting by 7:30 pm.
The university expressed worry about the situation escalating and reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of all involved.
The head of the tertiary sector’s peak body emphasized that universities are bound by the lawful obligation to uphold freedom of speech.
However, it was highlighted that action should be taken when freedom of speech transforms into hate speech.
The prohibition of keffiyehs in Victoria’s parliamentary chamber coincided with these events.
Speaker Maree Edwards classified keffiyehs, a symbolic attire of Palestinian nationalism, as a political garment and directed an MP to remove it in parliament after it was found offensive by another MP.
The Victorian Greens leader sought clarification on the permanence of the ban on keffiyehs in the parliament, with political items and badges being deemed unacceptable.
The decision prompted debates on the allowance of MPs to express support for causes and wear cultural or religious symbols in parliament.
The incident further highlighted the differences in opinion and perspective within the parliamentary chambers.
Recognizing the value of diversity and harmony within the state, efforts were encouraged towards civil interactions and respect for varying viewpoints.
