Students rallied outside the Parramatta Local Court on September 12 to support Mazin, a student who is appealing his conviction of assault after a protest last year demanded Western Sydney University (WSU) cut ties with companies linked to the genocide in Gaza.
The protest at WSU Parramatta South campus in October 9 last year drew about 50 people. Police arrived and arrested two students.
Mazin was charged with resisting arrest, aggravated bodily harm and common assault. He suffered concussion, joint pain and bruising. The first two charges were dropped at his hearing. He has been suspended from WSU until a misconduct hearing is completed.
Another student, Issa, was charged with assaulting police and security and resisting arrest. He has also been suspended.
WSU professor Alana Lentin told Honi Soit: “I was there … and when the students came in the building … if there’s any question of assault, then I think we have to look at what security was doing.” Lentin said she was “slammed up against a wall” and campus security injured her wrist.
Although WSU provost Kevin Dunn denied the university had called the police, Crikey obtained emails between university security and staff, and the police that show campus security were monitoring social media and sending information about WSU4Palestine’s meeting to police.
A further email from a WSU staff member said a staff member was going to attend the WSU4Palestine meeting and that they would “contact the station or 000 should anything escalate”.
Eric Soriano told the rally outside Parramatta court: “This is about silencing an entire movement. They want students to look at Mazin and be afraid. They want campuses to be quiet. They want Palestine erased from public life.”
WSU4Palestine wants the university to end its research agreement with Israeli company Syqe, a medical supplier to the Israeli military. It is also demanding management “cut ties with all companies arming Israel, including BAE Systems, Thales and Raytheon” and “divest from all companies aiding Israel’s crimes, including Leonardo S.p.a, Rolls Royce, Palantir and Chevron”.
Issa’s case is due to be heard on November 28. Supporters are asked to gather again outside the Parramatta court.