Hundreds of University of Queensland (UQ) students protested on April 30 against a planned visit to campus by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Organisers had received a tip-off that morning that Albanese was planning to hold a media conference at the UQ-based Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) at 1.45pm.
Activists at the newly established Gaza solidarity encampment mobilised and protested his arrival. By 1pm, several hundred students had gathered at the encampment on the Great Court.
After a few short speeches, students marched to the AIBN building. The numbers grew significantly as many joined the students marching through the campus.
By the time they reached AIBN, the rally was likely to be the biggest ever Palestine rally at UQ.
Protesters occupied the lobby, chanting: “Albanese you can't hide you’re supporting genocide”. The prime minister did not show.
Since October 7, the Albanese government has firmly supported Israel's genocidal onslaught in Gaza. Labor's complicity in genocide has ignited opposition from across the country, and now it has spilled on to campuses.
The solidarity encampment at UQ is part of a global movement of students demanding their universities and governments divest from Israeli genocide and Apartheid.
At the opening rally for the UQ encampment on April 29, hundreds of students marched to UQ's Boeing Centre, demanding the university cut its contract with the arms manufacturer.
Students for Palestine is planning more actions, including a school strike on May 2 at 1pm in King George Square.
All supporters of Palestine are welcome at the encampment.
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