The University of Sydney has ordered students protesting to leave a controversial encampment which has been on the campus since April. A university spokesperson said on Friday it had told the encampment's leadership "we require them to vacate the encampment to allow other students to use the space". "For some weeks we have tried to negotiate with encampment representatives to come to a peaceful resolution," the spokesperson said in a statement.
"The front lawns are a shared space and as we have said previously, our shared spaces should be welcoming and inclusive to all members of our community. Source: Getty / Lisa Maree Williams "Since 24 April, the encampment has taken over this shared space to the exclusion of others." The order comes after mounting tensions at the prestigious university between students at the pro-Palestine camp and university management.
University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott in May apologised to students and staff who felt unsafe around the encampment but stopped short of ordering them to disband. The university said it had "repeatedly stated since the encampment began that we support the right to peaceful protest, provided it does not cause significant disruption to core university operations". "We consider preparations for semester two to be core university operations and any activity that impedes our ability to prepare for them in the usual fashion constitutes a significant and unacceptable disruption," they said.
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