Key facts
- The University of Melbourne "sharply" changed its protest policies following pro-Palestine sit-ins.
- New policies prohibit external protesters on campus and ban camping.
- Incidents of heckling and harassment occurred during the encampments.
- The university's wifi surveillance policies were revisited after a privacy breach.
- The university is considering requiring author identification on posters.
The University of Melbourne (UoM) significantly altered its protest policies in response to pro-Palestine sit-ins and encampments that occurred in 2024, according to interim vice-chancellor Glyn Davis. Appearing before a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, Davis stated the university "sharply" changed its rules, including prohibiting external protesters, banning camping on campus, and prohibiting indoor protests. These changes followed incidents that created a sense of "fear and unsafety" among students and staff, though Davis noted that misconduct during the encampments was not claimed to be antisemitic and did not breach the university's racism policy.
Davis explained that the university's aim was to de-escalate protests without violence, citing examples from the United States where similar situations had "gone terribly wrong." He confirmed that while misconduct such as "heckling and harassment" occurred, the university's initial response was constrained by legal considerations, with Victoria police indicating they would not intervene unless a law was broken. The situation escalated after a sit-in at the UoM’s Arts West building and the occupation of Professor Steven Prawer’s office.
Following these events, the university's approach to protests shifted. Davis also indicated that UoM had revisited its wifi policies after a privacy breach during a sit-in and was considering requiring author identification on posters, a suggestion made by Professor Prawer after offensive material was distributed. The commission is examining the experiences of Jewish students and academics and universities' responses to antisemitism and protests. The National Tertiary Education Union's UoM branch president, David Gonzalez, affirmed the right of Jewish students and staff to be safe but cautioned against granting management sweeping powers to police political thought.