Full Breakdown
University Protests, Antisemitism Concerns and Policy Overhauls in Australia’s Top Campuses
7/15/2026, 8:23:48 PM
Core Event
In 2024, pro-Palestinian encampments erupted on the front lawns of the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne. The encampments, lasting two months and featuring up to 139 tents at Sydney and 110 at Melbourne, prompted the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion to examine whether Jewish students and staff were afforded adequate psychosocial safety. University leaders testified before the commission about their handling of the protests, the presence of extremist groups, and subsequent policy reforms.
Background & Context
The Australian protests mirrored unrest on U.S. campuses such as Columbia and UCLA, where large-scale occupations led to arrests and property damage. A 2024 parliamentary inquiry had already urged universities to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. Following the 2023 Bondi Beach terror attack, the federal government created an antisemitism education taskforce and a university-sector “report card” to assess responses to hate and protest.
Key Figures & Groups
- Mark Scott – Vice-Chancellor, University of Sydney.
- Glyn Davis – Interim Vice-Chancellor, University of Melbourne.
- Jeremy Leibler – Representative, Zionist Federation of Australia.
- Gabi Crafti SC – Lawyer for the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS).
- Steven Prawer – Physics professor targeted in an October 2024 office occupation.
- Commissioner Virginia Bell – Chair of the Royal Commission.
Data & Statistics
- Sydney’s encampment: 139 tents, spanning April–June 2024.
- Melbourne’s encampment: up to 110 tents on the South Lawn, May 2024.
- Office occupation of Professor Prawer involved roughly 20 masked protesters.
- Four Melbourne students were suspended for the office incursion; their names were withheld to “avoid a stain on the rest of their lives.”
Why It Matters
The incidents sparked a “sharp” revision of protest policies at both institutions, balancing campus safety with academic freedom. New rules prohibit on-site camping, ban indoor protests, and require prior notification for demonstrations. The reforms have broader implications for how Australian universities manage dissent, protect minority groups, and respond to external security threats.
Official Statements & Responses
University of Sydney officials acknowledged a “real failure” to consult Jewish groups and emphasized a priority on peaceful resolution. Police indicated they were aware of Hizb ut-Tahrir members near campus but saw no immediate security threat. Commissioner Bell intervened when questioning the limits of free speech, stating that a range of views could be expressed on university grounds. The University of Melbourne highlighted investments in security upgrades for Professor Prawer’s office and the creation of a single-point online complaints portal launched in mid-2024.
Criticism & Opposition
AUJS lawyer Gabi Crafti accused Scott of neglecting the safety of Jewish children, asserting that “Jewish students and Jewish staff at the University of Sydney were not safe in 2024 or 2025.” Jeremy Leibler labeled Scott’s leadership “unfit” and claimed the university did nothing after being warned of an extremist sheikh on campus. The Zionist Federation described the events as “deeply shocking” and a “failure of leadership.”
On-the-Ground Reports
Professor Steven Prawer testified that his office was entered by masked protesters who linked his research partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to alleged complicity with Israeli state actions. He called the university’s response “appalling” and demanded the identities of the occupiers be disclosed for his protection.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police statements suggested no imminent radicalisation risk from Hizb ut-Tahrir, yet university testimony indicated awareness of the group’s presence. The commission heard differing views on whether harassment during the encampments qualified as antisemitic, with the University of Melbourne asserting incidents “were not claimed to be antisemitic.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “I'm sorry we didn't listen more intently to them as it was going.” — Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor, University of Sydney
- “He [Professor Scott] was told an extremist sheikh who celebrated the October attacks was on his campus and called for the Zionists to be made to tremble. He did nothing,” — Jeremy Leibler, Zionist Federation of Australia
- “The encampment on the South Lawn, it was judged, did not override any of those concerns and therefore the university would not seek action against the encampment,” — Glyn Davis, Interim Vice-Chancellor, University of Melbourne
- “absolute right to be safe” — David Gonzalez, National Tertiary Education Union, UoM branch president
- “I think I understand better just how menacing and threatening some in our community found the presence of the encampment every day,” — Mark Scott
What’s Next
The Royal Commission continues to hear evidence, and university leaders have signaled further reforms to poster regulations and external protest monitoring. Ongoing scrutiny is expected as the commission’s final recommendations are drafted later this year.
