Pro-Palestinian Encampment Disbands After Near 4 Month Protest at ANU

Students barricade the Gaza Solidarity encampment on the campus of the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, Australia, on May 27, 2024. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Pro-Palestine activists at the Australian National University (ANU) have finally removed their lengthy 110-day encampment.

The protest was the longest-running across Australian campuses and received support from Greens Senators Mehreen Faruqi and David Shoebridge.

The group, ANU for Palestine, confirmed they had decamped but would continue their fight against the university’s “complicity in the Palestinian genocide” and its supposed aid of the Israeli “apartheid state.”

“For 110 days, the ANU Gaza Solidarity Encampment has been a physical presence, reminding the ANU that its staff and students want full divestment from the so-called state of Israel. This makes us the longest ongoing Gaza Solidarity Encampment in so-called Australia,” the group wrote in a statement.

On Aug. 13, the ANU Council resolved that the University’s Long Term Investment Pool would not contribute to “controversial weapons manufacturers” and “civilian small arms manufacturers.”

While the statement did not mention Israel specifically, the pro-Palestinian activists claimed credit for the policy change, but said it was not enough.

“Our movement has always called for full and immediate divestment from the state of Israel as well as the military-industrial complex which enables its ongoing occupation and genocide of the Palestinian people. This is what we will continue to do,” the students said.

The encampment was part of a wider movement across the Western world following the surprise Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which killed 1,200 people and captured 250 hostages.

Many are still not released and are now subject to ceasefire negotiations.

More than 40,000 people have reportedly been killed in Gaza since Israeli military reprisals.

Damaged and burnt cars in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, as seen in an aerial view taken on Oct. 17, 2023 .Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

University Welcomes Decision

In a statement provided to the Epoch Times, ANU said the decision to disband the encampment was voluntary.

“ANU is a place of respectful debate, with a long history of student political engagement. As has always been the case, the University is willing to keep working with our students to exercise their right to free speech in ways that are appropriate for our campus,” ANU said. 

“The safety of our community and our campus has been our priority throughout this process. The encampment raised several issues relating to safety and respectful conduct.”

ANU said it understood the ongoing conflict in Gaza was causing distress for many, noting that help was available via its Student Safety and Wellbeing team, and Employee Assistance Program.

The logo of the Australian National University (ANU) is seen on a building at the campus in Canberra, Australia on Sept. 16, 2020. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Greens Back Protest

Greens Senator David Shoebridge praised the encampment.

“Students spent the long winter months camping out even when the University cut off power and other essential services. It was a powerful exercise in solidarity and I had the pleasure of visiting the camp multiple times and appreciated the warm hospitality on every occasion,” he wrote on Instagram.

He said it was “not that radical” to ask universities to divest from weapons companies.

“Looking forward to seeing ANU eventually disclose and divest,” he said.

Jewish Group Says Encampment Fostered Hate

However, the Australian Jewish Association (AJA) has accused the encampment of fostering “Jew Hatred” and being “anti-Jewish.”

The AJA said it received complaints from Jewish students about alleged verbal abuse, bullying, and the use of the Nazi salute back in May.

In late May, the pro-Palestinian activists had initially been asked to move their encampments because the area was an evacuation zone for emergencies.

Protest Subject of Senate Hearing

In a Senate Estimates hearing in June, Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson shared and tabled photographs of slogans and stickers allegedly on campus.

Some messages read, “If you are not with Palestine, you are a psychopath,” and “Zionism is terrorism,” along with a flag of the Star of David with a big red line through it.

The Liberal senator recounted that one student told her the stickers “seem to be everywhere.”

In response, ANU Vice-Chancellor Genevieve Bell said, “Senator, those are stickers that we would attempt to take down because we would see them as being hateful.”