Long-running pro-Palestine protest camps at the University of Melbourne are expected to be packed up today.
On Thursday afternoon,the university publicly committed to disclosing more details howjoint academic research projects are funded.,the students agreed to ending their occupation of the university’s Arts West building and dismantling a camp on the campus’ south lawn following the university’s release of the public commitment.
The Age contacted protesters to confirm this will occur after the university issued an update on its website at 2.30pm,but is yet to receive a response. No response is visible on the protest group’s social media yet either.
Earlier,the University of Melbourne update said it would commit “to additional disclosure of its research grant arrangements as they relate to research projects,the parties who support that research and the quantum.”
“Currently,the university makes information related to the topic and duration of research projects available to all members of the university community and the public. Further updates will be made available on the University’s website progressively,commencing in June.”
On Wednesday,protest organiser Dana Alshaer said demonstrators expected the university to disclose all its ties to weapons companies within a month and would keep campaigning for it to end those deals altogether.
“This is a major win,but it’s also a first step.”
But on Thursday,Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim denied the agreement was a victory for protesters,instead calling it “nothing more than a sham to disguise the fact that they have shut down their camp under threats of expulsion and totally capitulated.”
“Apart from menacing and harassing students and staff over several weeks,and bringing Australian higher education into disrepute,the protesters have achieved precisely nothing,” Wertheim said.
“They should hang their heads in shame.”