Students say they hope a pro-Palestinian encampment will “grow by the day” as they call on UON to cut ties with Boeing and Lockheed Martin, write the Yak team.

TENTS and placards have been seen adjacent to the Auchmuty Library in what organisers say is a collective operation demanding the University distance itself from Lockheed Martin Australia and Boeing Australia, both satellites of US firms. At 9 am on Monday, an encampment of about 20 people was established, and were heard chanting “Free, free Palestine” and “Free, free Gaza”.

Campers say they won’t budge until their demands are met, causing potential headaches for security staff in the coming days.

Aerospace program targeted

Organisers claimed in a statement that “UON’s partnership with Lockheed Martin, known as the ‘Altitude Accord’, includes allowing Lockheed Martin to design the curriculum and host lectures for the University of Newcastle’s undergraduate Aerospace Engineering degree.”

Lockheed Martin manufactures F-35 fighter jets, which have been used in Israel’s attacks on Gaza. Last year the Federal Government committed $110 million, in cooperation with BAE Systems Australia, to house and maintain Australia’s units of the same model at the Williamtown RAAF base.

Yak is not suggesting there are direct connections between the University’s dealings with Lockheed Martin Australia or BAE Systems Australia, and the production or maintenance of F-35 fighter jets.

Large group of protesters – supplied

Calls to “demilitarise education”

Organiser Lucy McFayden told Yak Media she hopes the encampment will grow in the coming days.

“Our main objective of the encampment is to raise awareness, bring other students in, and we want our demands met by the Vice-Chancellor and management at the University of Newcastle,” she said.

“We want the UON to adopt an institutional academic boycott of Israel, and we want them to disclose any other ties, such as sponsorships that they have that are making them complicit in the genocide in Palestine”

Organiser Lucy McFayden. Picture: Ben Collison

University ensuring “right to protest”

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Zee Upton told Yak the Univerisity respects the rights of students.

“We’re aware that a group is exercising its right to protest and started an encampment this morning, Monday 13 May, on the Shortland side of our Callaghan Campus,” she said.

“Our University’s priority is to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our students, staff and visitors and to uphold the principles of free speech. We’re proud of the diversity of our University community and as a leading University for equity, we know that at the heart of all we do is fairness and respect.”

“Our campus community must be able to conduct normal operations safely, even during times of protest. We are pleased that University operations, including teaching and learning, have not been impacted by the peaceful protests,” she said.