Anti-Israel USYD mob mimics Columbia protestors
Demonstrators flew banners reading ‘Columbia First, USYD next’ while chanting ‘Long live the intifada’
The ugly anti-Israel demonstrations that began at New York’s Columbia University and spread across the United States have made their way to Australia, with a mob setting up at the University of Sydney this week.
Demonstrators on Tuesday flew banners reading “Columbia First, USYD next”, “Free Gaza” and “From the River to the Sea” while chanting “Intifada intifada, Long live the intifada”.
The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) called it “the ugly face of Jew-hatred in 2024”.
Greens Senator David Shoebridge, who visited the protest and enthusiastically tweeted in support of the demonstrators throughout Tuesday evening, told ABC Radio on Wednesday morning, “I went down and showed solidarity and supported the protests that were driven by students.
“And I think, like millions of Australians who actually want to see our government not engage in two way arms trade with the State of Israel while it’s engaged in a genocide in Gaza, and want institutions like the universities not to be complicit as well.”
A University of Sydney communication on Wednesday said, “Some of you may be aware that last night a protest encampment was set up on the University’s front lawns on our Camperdown-Darlington campus.
“A wide range of views and perspectives exist among our community and, as always, we remain committed to the right of protesters to assemble peacefully and express their views.
“Equally, we have zero tolerance for any form of racism, threats to safety, hate speech, intimidation, threatening speech, bullying or unlawful harassment, including antisemitic or anti-Muslim language or behaviour,” it continued.
“The University will not hesitate to take firm and decisive disciplinary action where appropriate if a student or staff member is found to have breached the Student Charter, Code of Conduct or University policy.”
The University of Sydney has been a hotbed of anti-Israel activity since the October 7 Hamas massacre. Recently, two Tel Aviv University academics were locked in a room wth protesters during an international study fair.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin posted on X on Wednesday morning, “The scenes from Colombia, Yale and Harvard should horrify Australian Vice-Chancellors, education ministers, academics and students. When you indulge those who support terrorism and treat antisemitism as a lesser form of racism, this is what happens.
“If we don’t take back our public spaces and institutions and banish this medievalist ideology, there will be irreparable damage to our education system and to our society.”
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