Victorian Police continue to monitor the situation at the University of Melbourne after three days of protests from pro-Palestinian student activists.
Tents have been set up inside the Arts West building as students continued to camp on May 17 with deck chairs, masks, and signs that read: “Free Gaza”, “Zionism is racism,” and “ceasefire now.”
The University’s deputy vice-chancellor, Pip Nicholson, was due to meet with pro-Palestinian protesters on May 17 afternoon to discuss the situation.
Meanwhile, the activists at Melbourne University have “renamed” the building “Mahmoud’s Hall” after prospective student Mahmoud Al Haq died in Gaza.
Inspired by the U.S. movement, students at tertiary institutions across Australia have set up encampments on university grounds calling for administrators to cut ties with Israel.
These “Palestine solidarity encampments” have been set up at the University of Sydney, University of Adelaide, University of Queensland, RMIT University, La Trobe University, Australian National University, and University of Wollongong.
Police Unable to Act Yet
Police cannot intervene in the encampment unless they receive a formal report for trespassing.A Victorian Police spokesperson told The Epoch Times they had received no such report “at this stage.”
“Victoria Police is continuing to work closely with the University of Melbourne in response to ongoing protests,” he said.
“Police are constantly monitoring the activity and are well equipped to respond to any public order issues if required.”
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Wesley said more than 6,000 students have been impacted by the cancellation of 150 classes inside the occupied building.
University of Queensland Wants Camp Dismantled
Meanwhile, the University of Queensland (UQ) has demanded campers to discontinue their camp as soon as possible.Vice-chancellor, Deborah Terry said UQ was engaging with the protestors.
“Today, we have advised protest organisers, as well as staff and students, that the University intends to remain in regular contact to ensure we minimise disruption to core university activities, particularly with the upcoming exam period,” she said in a statement.
Earlier in the week, Deakin Deputy Vice-Chancellor Kerrie Parker wrote to organisers asking for the “immediate dismantling and removal” of the camp.
Ms. Parker said the priority for administrators was to maintain a safe environment at Deakin in a letter seen by The Epoch Times.
“You are asked to please attend to the immediate dismantling and removal of the current encampment at Morgan’s Walk,” the letter said to organisers.
Opposition Probes Government on its Support for Palestine’s UN Bid
At the political level, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has pushed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on why he made a “captain’s call” to support Palestine’s bid for U.N. membership.On May 10, Australia voted in favour of a U.N. resolution to facilitate Palestine being granted full membership to the global body.
Further, the motion also expressed regret at the United States exercising its veto power at the U.N. Security Council on April 18 to block Palestine’s bid to become a U.N. member.
In response, Mr. Albanese said the resolution that was carried by the U.N. called for a two-state solution based on the 1967 boundaries.
“That is something that is supported by the Australian Labor Party and has historically been supported by those opposite as well. The people who do not support a two-state solution include Hamas and has included, at times, some members of the current Israeli government, who make clear their opposition to that as well,” Mr. Albanese said.
“We, in supporting that resolution, when we saw the wording, believe that it’s consistent with providing a pathway to peace that is so necessary as we go forward.”
M. Albanese argued the government’s position was consistent with the Japanese, Korean, and New Zealand governments.
In response, Mr. Dutton quipped, “the United States, Joe Biden, where was he?”
The Labor government’s decision to vote “yes” differed from allies the United States and Israel, who voted “no.”
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, Canada, Ukraine, Italy, Finland, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Fiji, and Vanuatu abstained.
However, the resolution received support from 143 nations, including New Zealand, China, Russia, Korea, France, Norway, Japan, Poland, Indonesia, Columbia, and Mexico.
