More than 150 University of Newcastle (UoN) students and supporters rallied to defend the Palestine solidarity encampment from being shut down on July 15.
UoN management had threatened students in an eviction letter to UoN Students for Palestine on July 12 to close the encampment by 5pm.
The letter, signed by deputy vice-chancellor Kent Anderson, claimed that the university supported students’ right to protest, but that the encampment threatened “the ongoing wellbeing of our university community and safe operations”.
The UoN encampment has stood for 64 days, the longest-running encampment in Australia and potentially internationally, demanding the university disclose and cut ties with weapons companies and Israeli institutions.
Student organiser Louis Roger told Green Left that while the university had had some negotiations with the encampment, it had been “nothing but theatre on their part”.
“When we presented our demands, backed by the university’s own sustainable development goals, we were told our demands were too radical to achieve,” he said.
In response to the threats to the encampment, students organised their defence by holding a celebratory rally and barbecue ahead of the 5pm deadline.
Students decided to maintain the encampment beyond the deadline but, at 6am on July 16, security showed up and started tearing down tents they claimed were unoccupied.
Security left when Awabakal Gaewegal Elder Auntie Tracy Hanshaw told them they had “no right to be doing this”.
The university sent out another letter on July 16, threatening disciplinary action for students who remain at the encampment. It claimed disciplinary action would “not relate to your right to protest on campus, but rather your refusal to obey a reasonable direction provided by the university”.
Students were not deterred, however: Four chained themselves to a large couch at the encampment and refuse to leave. A video was posted on the UoN Students for Palestine Instagram of the students chanting “We shall not be moved”.
“We’ve been on the lounge for two hours, security came in and started taking everything down,” student and staff member Parker Best told the Newcastle Herald. “We’ve chained ourselves up to the couch and we’ve chained the couch to the tree because we thought they might lift us out.”
More students are remaining at the encampment to protect it from further management attacks.