The University of Melbourne's interim vice-chancellor, Prof Glyn Davis, has told the royal commission into antisemitism that pro-Palestine sit-ins on campus led the institution to 'quite sharply' change its protest policies, with further restrictions possible.
Appearing before the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion on Wednesday, Davis said the atmosphere on campus 'changed dramatically' after a sit-in at the Arts West building in May 2024 and the occupation of Jewish physics professor Steven Prawer's office in October 2024. The university has since prohibited outsiders from protesting on campus, banned camping onsite, and banned indoor protests.
Encampment and misconduct
Davis was asked whether a pro-Palestine encampment established in 2024, which called for the university to cut ties with Israel and weapons companies, created 'fear and unsafety' among staff and students. He agreed that it did, and said there were 'regular discussions' with Victoria police, who maintained they would not intervene unless a law was broken. '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,' Davis said.
Davis confirmed misconduct including 'heckling and harassment' occurred during the encampment, but said the incidents were 'not claimed to be antisemitic' and did not breach the university's racism policy.
Professor Prawer's office occupation
On Tuesday, the commission heard from Prof Steven Prawer, who said the university needed to show it did not 'tolerate misbehaviour' after the expulsion of two students who were part of the occupation of his office was overturned. Prawer also said the identity of the protesters should be revealed for his 'protection'. Davis disagreed, saying it could 'make a stain on the rest of their lives'.
Davis flagged further reforms to the university's rules on postering, following a request from Prawer to identify organisations or individuals who authored posters after offensive material was distributed around campus and in his office. 'There's an assumption that we will make a series of policy changes in the light of this royal commission and the other things that are under way,' Davis said. 'If you're not prepared to put your name to a statement, I don't think academic or freedom of speech applies.'
Other universities' responses
Davis appeared alongside the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales vice-chancellors. Prof Mark Scott, University of Sydney vice-chancellor, said forcibly disbanding the campus's pro-Palestine encampment could have led to it 'blowing up'. The encampment, established in mid-2024, was the first and longest-running in the nation. Scott said their priority was 'a peaceful resolution' but it was a 'real failure' not to consult further with Jewish groups. 'I still felt the risk of the encampment blowing up by forcibly ending it,' he said. 'Police in riot gear taking students away could have seen an encampment 10 times the size the day after. But I can see that our Jewish students and staff paid a price for that … And I'm sorry we didn't keep them more closely engaged.'
The University of Sydney has introduced protest crackdowns, including requiring organisers to notify management for demonstrations, banning encampments and indoor protests, and requiring authorisation details on posters. Scott said there was a 'strong reaction' but a 'significant reduction' in student complaints since they were enforced.
Broader context
The higher education sector has been under scrutiny since 2024, including a parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities that recommended adopting a definition of antisemitism 'closely aligning' with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition. After the Bondi beach terror attack last year, the federal government established an antisemitism education taskforce and backed special envoy Jillian Segal's plan to combat antisemitism, including a report card grading universities on their response to antisemitism and protests.
The National Tertiary Education Union's University of Melbourne branch president, David Gonzalez, said Jewish students and staff had an 'absolute right to be safe' which should not be 'negotiable'. 'But neither should academic freedom,' he said. 'Antisemitism is real and must be taken seriously. It is precisely because it is serious that the term must not be stretched into a political weapon used to silence criticism of a state or its military conduct.'
