Global Student Protests Echo Support for Palestine
Chants of “disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest” are resonating worldwide as student-led protests in solidarity with Palestine emerge beyond the U.S., reaching countries like Australia, Mexico, and the U.K. This surge in activism coincides with the seventh month of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Over 2,000 individuals participating in over 100 demonstrations have been detained in recent weeks. Footage of police dismantling encampments at institutions such as the University of California, Los Angeles, and Columbia University has energized youth globally, igniting unrest on college campuses internationally. A post on the Students for Palestine’s – Sydney Uni Facebook page reads: “Columbia first, USYD [University of Sydney] next, all universities must divest.”
While students’ demands vary, many are urging their universities to disclose their investment portfolios and divest from companies linked to Israel. Some are advocating for the severance of ties with Israeli academic institutions.
Australia
Hundreds have convened at least six Australian universities, including the University of Melbourne and Curtin University. At the University of Sydney, police observed protestors from the school entrance as pro-Palestinian demonstrators encountered counter-protestors supporting Israel. Reuters reports discomfort among some academics regarding chants of “Intifada” and “from the river to the sea.”
University of Sydney Vice Chancellor Mark Scott has allowed the protests to proceed, citing the absence of violence akin to what was witnessed in the U.S., as he informed local media on Thursday.
