Pro-Palestine Student Activists Refuse to Disband ‘Gaza Solidarity’ Camp in Melbourne

Pro-Palestinian students hold a sit-in in Melbourne on May 15, 2024 at Melbourne University's Arts West building, which the students have temporarily renamed as "Mahmoud's Hall" after Mahmoud Al Haq, a prospective University of Melbourne student, who died in Gaza. Martin Keep/AFP via Getty Images

Students for Palestine at La Trobe University in Melbourne are refusing to comply with an order from administrators to disband their encampment.

La Trobe is one of multiple universities around Australia battling with pro-Palestinian activists setting up camps on campus grounds and refusing to leave.

Students at La Trobe are claiming that a request to disband the camp is an attack on freedom of speech.

Rather than disbanding the camp, the students at La Trobe will hold a “free Palestine” protest on May 20 to defend the La Trobe Gaza Camp.

“Support the right to protest! Defend the LaTrobe Gaza Camp,” a post on Instagram states.

This follows La Trobe issuing a directive to organisers to “disband the encampment” occupying the Melbourne Bundoora campus Agora.

While the university said the protests have been “relatively peaceful” and classes had not been interrupted, the university was concerned about continued encampment activity.

With this in mind, it made the decision in the interests of the “safety, wellbeing, and amenity of all campus users and visitors.”

“La Trobe will continue to accommodate the right of students and staff to protest peacefully and respectfully without an encampment,” the university said.

The university said it is proud of its rich and diverse multicultural and multi-faith community and does not tolerate any form of discrimination or racism, including antisemitism or Islamophobia.

“In keeping with our core values, we are committed to ensuring that our students can safely learn, engage and participate fully in university life,” the university added.

Students Condemn ‘Repression’ of Gaza Solidarity Camp

Students for Palestine La Trobe say their camp was established to demand the university reveal and cut ties with weapons companies associated with Israel.

“This is an attempt by the university to curtail students’ freedom of speech in peacefully protesting the war in Palestine, as has already happened at Monash University and others,” the group said.

“If the university supports freedom of speech, they should rescind their order to end the camp.”

With Palestine flag icons and writing in green text, the students demanded, “No eviction of the Gaza Solidarity encampment at La Trobe. No academic discipline or charges against student protestors. Cut all ties with Honeywell and to Israel.”

Multiple Pro-Palestinian Student Activists Defy Orders

Meanwhile, activists at Deakin University also vowed to defy an order from university management to take down their encampment recently.

“We are part of a global student movement fighting for the liberation of Palestine. We demand an end to all weapons partnerships at Deakin,” the group said.

This followed Deakin Deputy Vice-Chancellor Kerrie Parker writing 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.

“You are asked to please attend to the immediate dismantling and removal of the current encampment at Morgan’s Walk,” the letter said.

Meanwhile, at the University of Melbourne, pro-Palestinian activists put out an urgent call to the community on May 20 following an order to remove property and leave university premises.

The students claim the university has told them to leave the building within a few minutes before the police are called.

The university’s vice chancellor has directed all students in the Arts West building to leave the university grounds and removal all personal property.

This follows an inspection that found multiple examples of damage inside the building.

In addition, the University of Queensland demanded campers to discontinue their presence on campus amid concerns about students and staff safety.

However, the students refused to leave, despite Chancellor Peter Varghese saying anti-Semitism and other hate speech has no place on the campus

Vice-chancellor Deborah Terry also argued the university needs to minimise disruption to core activities, particularly with the upcoming exam period.

Inspired by global movements, students at tertiary institutions across Australia have set up encampments on university grounds calling for administrators to cut ties with Israel.

Jewish Community Hold Rally Against Anti-Semitism in Melbourne

Meanwhile, a pro-Israel Never Again is Now rally against antisemitism was held in front of Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne on May 20.

Six people were reportedly arrested following clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and attendees at the Israel Never Again is Now rally in Melbourne. The Epoch Times has contacted Victoria Police for comment.

Federal Shadow Education Minister Sarah Henderson spoke at the rally, noting that antisemitism is “dividing our country,” particularly on university campuses.

“If police can be called to shut down the antisemitic violence and intimidation of protestors at the ALP state conference, why not at our universities?” she posted on X.

“At University of Melbourne, protestors stormed and are now illegally occupying the Arts building—but where is the moral and political courage to call in the police, and restore law and order and a safe campus for everyone? We are a better country than this.”