Melbourne Uni has brought misconduct charges against 21 students involved in the encampment for Gaza and the sit-in at Mahmoud’s Hall (the ArtsWest building).
They are facing either suspension or expulsion from the university for taking part in the protests.
The university has used CCTV footage and students’ connection to the wifi network as evidence they took part in the sit-in—in breach of previous privacy commitment and possibly the law.
At least 150 people joined a protest outside the first disciplinary hearings on 10 July.
The effort to stamp out the right to protest at universities has already seen one student suspended at Deakin Uni, with disciplinary proceedings still ongoing against another student at Deakin and a number at Sydney Uni. Nine students at Monash Uni and two students at LaTrobe Uni facing misconduct charges received only warnings from the university.
At ANU, one student has been expelled for standing in solidarity with Palestinian armed resistance.
Sydney University has also imposed a new Campus Access Policy banning camping on university grounds, protests inside buildings and requiring permission for information stalls, putting up posters or using megaphones and three days’ notice of any protests.
This all further shows university managements’ commitment to their ties with Israel and role in the weapons industry—and why we need to keep fighting to break them.
