Members of the Australian Palestinian community shout slogans at the Palestinian Protest Campsite at the University of Sydney in Sydney on 3 May 2024.
Counter-protests have emerged, with participants claiming the pro-Palestinian demonstrations make Jewish students and staff feel unsafe. On Friday, protesters rallied to demand University of Sydney divest from companies with ties to Israel, echoing calls from students in the US, Canada and France. Several hundred metres away from the Sydney university protest and separated by lines of security guards, hundreds gathered under Australian and Israeli flags to hear speakers say the pro-Palestinian protests made Jewish students and staff feel unsafe on campus.
Long a stalwart ally of Israel, Australia has become increasingly critical of its conduct in Gaza, where an Australian aid worker was killed in an Israeli attack last month.