By Sophie Blewitt
On Wednesday 27 August, a group of pro-Palestine student protestors attempted to block traffic on Northbourne Avenue before being swiftly pressured by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to move on.
Organised by Students for Palestine Canberra, Palestine Action Group Canberra, and ANU for Palestine, the ‘All Canberra Student Strike’ saw both high school and university students marching with slogans such as ‘Stop Arming Israel’ and ‘High School for Palestine’.
This comes in the context of the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s recent confirmation that Australia will be recognising the state of Palestine at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly this September.
“We’re not going to let the city continue as normal as there are children being starved in Gaza,” said spokesperson Lucy Chapman as the group of about one hundred students sat on the intersection of Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue.
Students for Palestine Canberra organiser Carter Chryse stated, “Every time we block an intersection, we are standing here to say we will not stand with business as usual.”
Several police vehicles followed the scene, turning on police sirens and moving closer to the student speakers when they sat in the intersection. Federal Police officers could be seen in close conversation with the protest’s designated police liaison as organisers encouraged students to stand and follow police direction.
As the student protestors marched northwards, one police vehicle mounted the curb and drove through the crowd, within feet of several students. Police threatened to make arrests if students did not move off the road.
“I think it’s a pretty clear demonstration that when you are going up against the forces of the state, the interests of the state, there’s going to be a response,” Chryse told Observer. “But we have strength in numbers.”
The protest continued to 71 Northbourne Avenue, the location of Canberra’s Palantir Technologies office. Palantir has been accused of enabling Israel’s use of weapons in Gaza. At this point, the police presence dwindled to one vehicle as students chanted “Free, Free Palestine.”
“We’re in an upswing of the Palestine movement at the moment,” stated Chryse. “The rallies are only getting bigger.”
Photography by Eve-Lily Kelly
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