May 16, 2024
Pro-Palestine protesters cause university chaos as Albo condemns MP's chant
A pro-Palestine rally forced Melbourne University to cancel 150 classes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faces increasing pressure over the war in Gaza.
Protesters refused to move from a Melbourne Uni building for a second day as part of rolling sit-ins at universities in Australian capital cities.
It comes on the same day Mr Albanese was forced to condemn the actions of Labor senator Fatima Payman, who broke ranks with her party to accuse Israel of genocide and repeat a slogan associated with the ethnic cleansing of the Jewish people.
Shadow education minister Sarah Henderson on Thursday wrote to Mr Albanese demanding an independent judicial inquiry into reports of rising anti-Semitism on campuses in a letter that was signed by Coalition members and independents including Allegra Spender, Bob Katter and Jacqui Lambie.
Liberal Senate leader Simon Birmingham moved a motion for Parliament to condemn the chant "from the river to the sea" while shadow home affairs minister James Patterson accused Mr Albanese of weak leadership amid a crisis of escalating anti-Semitism.
More than a hundred students slept overnight in tents after taking over the Arts West building at the University of Melbourne, disrupting the study and work of some 80,000 students and staff members.
The protesters have renamed the building Mahmoud's Hall after Palestinian student Mahmoud Alnaouq was accepted to study at the University of Melbourne on scholarship before he was killed in an Israeli air strike on October 20.
They are refusing to leave the building until the University of Melbourne takes steps to divest ties with weapons manufacturers.
Social media vision shows tents and camping chairs on the floor of the building and banners and a Palestinian flag draped over a stairwell.
A University of Melbourne spokesperson said the escalation in protest action and property damage was deeply concerning and said about 150 classes had been cancelled for more than 6000 students.
"The continued occupation of university sites presents an unacceptable risk to the safety, security, and important work of our entire community," said the spokesperson.
At Monash University, protesters have defied orders to end their encampment on campus as nine were asked to engage in a misconduct process amid reports they had been threatened with expulsion after stand-offs with students supporting Israel on May 7 and 9.
A pro-Palestinian encampment has remained at the University of Sydney for more than three weeks while students at the Australian National University in Canberra are defying orders to end their encampment.
University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott said he was aware some protesters were deliberately covering their faces, disrupting classes and acting in an intimidatory way.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive officer Peter Wertheim backed calls for the judicial inquiry and said the integrity of universities was being undermined by anti-democratic values.
Senator Birmingham moved a motion to condemn the chant "from the river to the sea" on Thursday, telling Parliament the phrase was fuelling anti-Semitism.
The motion passed with a vote of 56 to 12 with the support of Labor with the exception of WA senator Fatima Payman, who wasn't present, and the opposition from the Greens.
On Thursday Mr Albanese said he had not spoken to Senator Payman but said it was inappropriate for her to have said the chant as he reiterated Labor's support for a two-state solution.
"We are seeing enormous grief in Gaza that is having a significant impact on people who have relatives and friends in Gaza," he told ABC Radio.
"That is a very traumatic occurrence, just as a lot of trauma is being experienced by Jewish Australians due to the rise in anti-Semitism that we're seeing here, where people who happen to be Jewish are being held responsible for actions of the Netanyahu Government." Israel is attempting to eliminate what remains of Hamas' fighters in the southern Gazan city of Rafah where more than a million people have sought refuge amid the ongoing conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.
Mr Patterson said Senator Payman escaping punishment was evidence of the weakness of Mr Albanese's leadership as the nation grappled with growing anti-Semitism.
"It appears there are no consequences for calling for the annihilation of the state of Israel and millions of Jews who live there, even for a member of the Federal parliamentary Labor Party," he said.
"If the Prime Minister tolerates this from his own caucus, we've got no hope tackling the anti-Semitism crisis in this country." Meanwhile, NSW Labor MP Anthony D'Adam has been sacked after lashing out at police for arresting pro-Palestinian protesters.
Premier Chris Minns said he had dumped the Upper House politician from his position as a parliamentary secretary.
