Students demand USYD vice chancellor’s resignation over antisemitism
This afternoon, Jewish students and their supporters rallied at The University of Sydney, demanding the immediate resignation of Vice Chancellor Mark Scott.
They accused him of failing to confront the alarming rise of antisemitism on campus, leaving students feeling unsafe and unprotected.
The rally, organised by the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS), spotlighted the increasingly hostile environment that Jewish students have endured since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023. Although the encampment has been removed from campus, speakers highlighted examples that have led to the campus gaining a reputation as the most antisemitic in Australia.
There were several powerful speeches made by Jewish students, including Isaac Wine, president of AUJS at The University of Sydney. Wine gave an impassioned speech recounting his personal experiences of harassment, intimidation, and antisemitism on campus. “I was followed around… I was even doxxed on Instagram and accused of being a paedophile. All because I was Jewish,” Wine told the crowd. He also expressed disappointment in the university’s leadership, specifically calling out Scott for failing to ensure the safety of Jewish students.
“The university that my grandparents proudly called their alma mater has disintegrated into a place where I can’t bear to be on campus,” Wine said. He further criticised the administration’s inaction: “Mark Scott has refused to punish those involved in public support of Hamas… He has let offensive graffiti, including swastikas, stay up on the walls for weeks” highlighting the administration’s ongoing inaction.
Wine, whose family has a long history with the university, lamented how the institution has changed. “This is not Nazi Germany. This is Australia in 2024 at one of the most prestigious universities in the country,” he said, adding that Jewish students now fear walking across campus or wearing Jewish symbols.
Holocaust survivor 94-year-old Egon Sonnenschein gave a powerful and emotional speech stating “I never expected to experience antisemitism again in my lifetime. I’m upset, I’m worried, I am disgusted – we should all feel safe”
Dror Liraz, a second-year vet student shared her family’s history of fleeing antisemitic persecution and expressing the deep pain caused by recent campus incidents. “I have witnessed and endured protests that call for the displacement and death of my 87-year-old grandmother,” Liraz said. She criticised the university for its failure to act against hate speech, including calls for intifada, “an orchestrated series of violent terrorist attacks against civilians.”
Liraz further emphasised her disappointment with Scott, stating, “Mark apologised for failing to keep Jewish students and staff safe on campus… but apologies must be followed with action, and Mark has shown no intention to fix the problem.”
The speeches culminated with a powerful message from AUJS Vice President, Zac Morris who condemned Scott’s leadership, pointing out the university’s failure to investigate or address antisemitic incidents adequately. “Mark Scott refused to directly countenance the possibility that he may have made any mistakes,” Morris said, highlighting the lack of accountability. “At such an academically rigorous institution, you don’t get to mark your own homework.”
Morris also criticised the university’s inaction in creating educational resources to address antisemitism. “In the eleven months since the infamous Opera House rally, organised and promoted by USyd students and staff, has the University of Sydney… created or disseminated a single dedicated resource on antisemitism? No.”
The rally resounded with a clear demand for immediate action, centred on a call for leadership change. “Mark Scott, you’ve lost the trust of the community… we, as the Australasian Union of Jewish Students, call on you to resign,” declared Morris, capturing the collective resolve of the students and their supporters. “Mark Scott, you’ve lost the trust of the community… we, as the Australasian Union of Jewish Students, call on you to resign,” Morris concluded, representing the collective sentiment of the crowd.
The rally reflected mounting frustration with the university administration’s inadequate response to the rising tide of antisemitism and hate speech on campus. Despite multiple complaints and pleas for intervention, students argue that the university has failed to implement meaningful measures.
