Universities told to stamp out anti-Semitism

Police have downplayed the smashing of a window at a university rally as a “peaceful protest’’, despite federal Education Minister Jason Clare demanding universities stamp out anti-Semitism and prioritise student safety.

At the University of Queensland, vice-chancellor Deborah Terry told staff on Friday that the university was sending police CCTV footage of an unknown protester smashing a window during a pro-Palestine protest.

She said the university would also ask police to investigate an “intolerable” video taken on campus of a man declaring that if he lived in Palestine he would join Hamas terrorists, and that “Israel has no right to exist”.

Professor Terry said the video “has horrified me’’.

“I have strongly condemned the behaviour and have written to the protest organisers seeking a meeting as a matter of urgency,’’ she said. “We have reported both incidents to the police and if the individuals are members of our community we will act.’’

But a Queensland Police spokeswoman said no complaints had been received but police “are aware that damage was sustained to one window”.

It comes as the Australian ­National University has taken disciplinary action following alleged Nazi-inspired gestures at a student meeting on Wednesday night. ANU vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell said on Friday that she was “deeply concerned by reports of the conduct of some of our students at the ANUSA annual general meeting”.

“We have taken disciplinary action following this event and will continue to take action where it is necessary to ensure our campus remains a safe place to learn and work,’’ she told students in an email.

“I want to be clear that ANU does not support or endorse the terrorist organisation, Hamas. We condemn the atrocities committed on 7 October 2023.

“We also share in the global concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This has affected people from around the world, including here on our campus. To members of our community who are feeling vulnerable or unwelcome in this moment, I see you, I hear you and I hope to find the best ways to support you.’’

Professor Bell said ANU “must be a place where we can hold hard conversations”. “Where debate has shifted to causing hate and hurt, we are stepping in,’’ she said.

An ACT police spokesman said police had “not received any reports regarding this alleged racist behaviour” at the ANU.

The Australian is not suggesting the students were making Nazi gestures, only that the allegations they did so have been investigated by the university. UQ law student Drew Pavlou – who organised protests at UQ defending Hong Kong against Chinese communist crackdowns in 2020 – filmed two men sitting near the pro-Palestinian protesters at UQ’s Great Court on Thursday. He said the men told him they were UQ students.

He asked them how many ­civilians would it be justified to kill in order to liberate Palestine.

“As many as necessary,’’ one man replied. “If I lived in Palestine, I’d be a terrorist.’’

Mr Pavlou said it was hypocritical of the university to have suspended him for two years over his pro-democracy activism in 2020, while other protesters were openly promoting terrorism on campus. Students for Palestine UQ ­organiser Liam Parry condemned both the window smashing and the terrorism remarks.

“The views expressed in that video don’t represent the views of our camp,” he said. “We are here to support the people of Palestine who are facing a genocide.’’

Mr Clare on Friday denounced the man’s views as “repugnant and hateful and they have no place in our multicultural Australia’’.

“There is no place for hate or the poison of anti-Semitism at our universities or anywhere else,’’ he said. “A lot of Jewish students have told me they are made to feel unsafe and unwelcome at university – that is not on.

“I have made it clear to universities that there is nothing more important than the safety of students and staff on campus.’’

Mr Clare said the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency had written to universities this week seeking information about any compliance action they are taking in response to protests.

Federal opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Henderson said “the anti-Semitism on Australian university campuses has become intolerable’’.

“The government must ensure these incidents are properly investigated,” she said. “Referral to police may also be necessary.’’

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion welcomed Mr Clare’s “forceful and heartfelt’’ condemnation. “We have been warning that the tenor of these protests and encampments is becoming progressively more extreme, more violent in terms of rhetoric and more open in expressing support for terrorism,’’ he said.