Sydney Uni boss ‘sorry’ for protest camps, but won’t call the cops

University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott has apologised to the community for an encampment of pro-Palestinian activists that was making students and staff feel “unsafe” but said that the police would not be called in to remove the protesters.

The apology comes after members of the university community said they felt unsafe with protesters camped on campus, as well as at least one professor reporting that his classroom was hijacked by masked activists during a lecture and refused to leave.

“We’re working around the clock to make the university as safe as it can be for staff and for students, and I understand that for some of our staff and our students it is upsetting that three is an encampment here,” he said.

“It embodies debate and discussion and free speech, I suppose I’d say to them I’m sorry that they feel upset that the encampment is there.”

Mr Scott made the comments Monday morning on Ben Fordham’s 2GB radio program.

However Mr Scott said that University of Sydney is a “big university” and is possible to go around the encampment however “it is possible to work your way around the university” and not encounter the camp.

“I’m not going down the United States route, (where) they’ve tried to clean out the encampments and that has triggered terrible violence.”

“I would rather it be gone … but peaceful protest has been part of the culture of this university and other universities for hundreds of years.”

Last week, it was reported that University of Sydney Professor Peter Morgan had his campus had been stormed by masked pro-Palestinian protesters.

Prof Morgan said it was a case of “left-wing anti-Semitism masquerading as political beliefs” and said “the university has effectively encouraged this behaviour.”

Mr Scott said that he had discussed the incident with Prof Morgan and it was “a very isolated incident” adding “full disciplinary action” would be taken by those responsible.

He also rejected suggestions that universities like Deakin, Melbourne and ANU had been more effective at removing protest camps.

“I would rather it be gone … but peaceful protest has been part of the culture of this university and other universities for hundreds of years.”

Originally published as Sydney University boss ‘sorry’ for Palestinian protest camp impacting students and staff but won’t call in police

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