A shocking incident at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has come to light, with an academic being subjected to Nazi salutes by students in his business class. This distressing act is one of several incidents of antisemitism that have been reported on Australian university campuses, sparking concerns about social cohesion and hate.
One witness, ACJ, a tutor and PhD candidate at UNSW, recounted an incident in 2024 where four international students performed Nazi salutes towards him during a business class. ACJ's grandparents were Holocaust survivors, and he felt the act was a direct threat to his life. He immediately alerted his supervisors and police, leading to a formal warning and subsequent suspension for the students after a NSW police investigation.
Other witnesses described an escalation of antisemitism on campuses following the 7 October 2023 terrorist attack. Liat, a student at the Australian National University (ANU), spoke about losing most of her non-Jewish friends after being labelled a 'Zionist' and called a 'baby killer' and 'genocide supporter' by students involved in a pro-Palestine encampment. She criticised ANU's response to reported antisemitic incidents, including Nazi gestures, as either non-existent or delayed.
ACL, a postgraduate Jewish and Israeli student at a Melbourne university, tearfully explained that she felt compelled to hide her Jewish identity on campus for the first time in her life, removing her Magen David (Star of David). She recounted a lecturer telling students that a scholar was a 'good Jew' because they 'weren't a Zionist', highlighting concerns about sweeping generalisations regarding Jewish identity and views on the Middle East.
Counsel assisting the royal commission, Zelie Heger SC, noted a recurring theme of Jewish staff and students being presumed to hold specific positions on the Middle East. She stressed the importance of debating the Middle East conflict but anticipated evidence would show instances where protests had 'crossed the line'. The commission's findings are expected to contribute to a broader understanding of antisemitism and inform future policies.