Australian university expels students over Free Palestine protests

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Australian National University (ANU) has expelled two students and taken disciplinary action against 10 others over Free Palestine protests and statements on campus.

Beatrice Tucker, a visual arts last year student, was expelled and banned from campus after making comments on a radio program supporting the Palestinian struggle and refusing to condemn Hamas, saying: “Hamas deserves our unconditional support.”

A group supporting Palestine at ANU released a statement, saying Tucker had faced backlash from the media and Zionist organizations, leading to calls for her expulsion.

Finnian Colwell, a member of the group, criticized the university’s actions and urged it to divest from Israel, saying: “ANU would rather punish students than divest from over $1 million invested in eight arms companies with links to Israel. The ANU is complicit in genocide. It must drop all disciplinary action against students and cancel the Northrop Grumman internship, end its exchange program with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.”

ANU Vice-Chancellor Genevieve Bell said five of the 10 disciplinary cases had been resolved, with the remaining five under review. She also said that four incidents had been referred to the Australian Federal Police for further investigation. Bell claimed that the university was committed to free speech and academic inquiry, local media reported.

Colwell questioned the university’s statements to the Australian Senate, saying: “ANU told parliament that eight students had received letters asking them to leave the camp, but it was actually 11.” He also said they do not know who the second expelled person is.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since a Hamas attack last Oct. 7 despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Some 36,600 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and over 83,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.