A police investigation is under way after alleged attacks on a pro-Palestine camp at Monash University, as protesters vow they “won’t be cowed or intimidated”.
The Gaza solidarity encampment alleged repeated incursions have been made since it was established a week ago, with property destroyed, items stolen and students threatened and harassed.
During the first alleged incident last Wednesday morning, the encampment claimed about a dozen men carrying Israeli and Australian flags entered the campsite, smashing a marquee, taking food and shaking students’ tents.
Four days later, they claim, many of the same people – reportedly, mostly, allegedly middle-aged men from outside the university – again attended the camp, leading Monash to call the police.
Organiser Jos Downey claimed that the attacks continued on Monday, alleging that a student from campus forcibly entered the encampment and physically assaulted the Monash Student Association’s queer officer, Madeline Curkovic.
“He came into camp in the afternoon and we asked him to leave … then he became more aggressive, walking around tents where people were sleeping, getting in people’s faces, accusing us of being terrorists,” Downey alleged.
“Our queer officer tried to get him to leave people alone and he grabbed her by the arm and tried to smack a megaphone out of her hands.”
Downey claimed that the same man entered the camp on Tuesday with the support of a few dozen counter-protesters, who allegedly repeatedly threatened to “bash” members of the camp.
A spokesperson for Victoria police confirmed officers were making inquiries into alleged altercations at the Clayton campus.
They said on Monday 6 May two “unknown males” pushed megaphones away from protesters at about 7.25pm, leaving the scene before police arrived. There were no injuries.
Officers were making inquiries to ascertain if one of the men was involved in the reported incident earlier in the afternoon, police said, where a person’s arm was allegedly grabbed.
Statements were yet to be provided to police.
“All universities have expressed their desire to allow their students to conduct peaceful demonstrations on university land without police intervention,” the police spokesperson said.
“We will continue to liaise with the universities.”
Curkovic accused counter-protesters of “attempting to use violence to silence us”.
“We will not be intimidated or cowed out of opposing genocide,” she said.
A spokesperson for the university said it was investigating the alleged incidents and would take “all available action” necessary, adding it was continuing to work with camp organisers to ensure safety and wellbeing.
They said Monash security had provided police with CCTV evidence taken from the 6 May incident and had not received a formal report of assault from any student.
Students at a newly established University of Adelaide pro-Palestine encampment allegedly faced a series of firecrackers being lobbed into their campsite on Monday evening, leaving scorch marks on several tents. Nobody was injured.
A spokesperson for the university said it was ramping up security on campus after the alleged attacks “to ensure the safety and welfare of its community” and would work with “appropriate authorities” to help with their inquiries.
The Jewish Council of Australia, executive officer, Dr Max Kaiser, said the body was “deeply concerned” Australian universities weren’t taking the “far-right threat” seriously, risking “a chilling effect on our right to free speech”.
The Australian Jewish Association has been critical of the camps, posting on X that it did not condone anything illegal but “nobody should be surprised if members of the public take matters into their own hands”.
The Australasian Union of Jewish Students, the peak body representing students on university campuses, maintained it would always defend “robust debate” but has urged universities to enforce clear policies prohibiting hate speech on campuses and require students to show identification to ensure “external extremist actors” do not hijack campuses.
Downey said protesters across the nation were feeling “frustrated but defiant”, adding the Monash camp had been buoyed up by the presence of about 50 supporters who responded to their callout on Sunday evening.
“We won’t be cowed or intimidated, we’re going to keep going,” he said.
“Our gazebo has been destroyed but we still have the skeleton with a banner saying ‘we shall not be moved’.
“This is the most morally urgent event of our generation. We stand in solidarity with campuses around the world.”
