The University of Melbourne has threatened to expel pro-Palestine protesters occupying a building on its Parkville campus.
Students have been given an ultimatum after the university warned students that police will be called and expulsions will be handed out if they do not remove the encampment.
The ultimatum came after two students were arrested at the University of Queensland after they climbed onto the roof of the St Lucia campus in Brisbane.
On Monday morning a note authorised by the University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Duncan Maskell was stuck up on the side of the Arts West building. Today marks seven days since 100 students staged a sit in.
“The university directs all persons occupying the Arts West building to leave the university’s grounds and to remove all personal property from the building,” the note said. “Any person who contravenes this direction will be trespassing on university grounds and may be referred to Victoria Police.”
The encampment organisers said on the Unimelb for Palestine Instagram page that the notice was also read over the loud speaker.
“Just after 8am this morning, protesters…were awoken by a message over the intercom notifying them that the building was unsafe, that they were trespassing and were liable to face academic sanctions and police intervention,” the post said.
Similarly, a message from the La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor Theo Farrell says organisers of the student protest have been told to arrange the disbandment of the encampment at the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus in order to comply with health and safety guidelines.
The Vice-Chancellor maintains the students still have a right to protest.
“A view has been expressed that in taking these steps, the University is infringing on the right of students and staff to protest,” the message said. “Please note that this is not the case.”
“La Trobe will continue to accommodate the right of students and staff to protest peacefully, safely and respectfully, without an encampment.”
Students part of the LTU encampment have confirmed that the university has told them they will commence misconduct proceedings against them if they fail to comply.
Photo: Latrobe University students for Palestine marching down Swanston Street by John Englart is available HERE and is used under a Creative Commons Licence. This image has not been modified.
