For the past few weeks the Great Court at the University of Queensland (UQ) has been filled by a field of tents. This is the UQ Gaza encampment.

A large hand-painted banner at the front of the camp proclaims their demands. “Weapons companies off UQ! Disclose ties with Israel! Divest from genocide”. The people that live here plan to stay for as long as they need to until their demands are met.

The camp was first set up on April 29th. The university encampment movement began in the USA, but soon spread to Australia, with at least 5 universities across the country having an encampment on their premises.

What do they want?

The main goal of the encampment is to force the university to sever its ties with weapons manufacturers, including closing down the UQ Boeing centre.

These relationships are common among universities, but the campers view it as unethical.

They have engaged in many forms of protest over the past several weeks including organising rallies, writing messages across the university in chalk, and occupying buildings.

What is it like there?

There are about 90 tents set up in the camp, most for a single person although there are a handful that could fit multiple people. 

The camp is organised by Students for Palestine, part of a larger far-left organisation called Socialist Alternative.

It also receives support from the Muslim Association of UQ, as well as a handful of other left-wing organisations.

The camp is managed by a four-person working committee which handles logistics, messaging, security, and negotiations with the university.

Every morning the working committee writes down the agenda for the day and lists out supplies they need donated.

Other facilities include a central area with tables for casual discussion, stalls for affiliate organisations, a food kitchen, and a makeshift mosque

The camp is generally empty most of the day as the campers go about their lives, leaving only the people managing the stalls.

Anyone is welcome to enter or join the camp at any time as long as they are respectful. 

What about the counter-protesters?

At the other end of the great court there is a smaller camp of about 20 tents called “camp shalom”. where the pro-Israel counter protesters have set up. 

This camp also has three demands; to dissolve the Gaza encampment, create a safe space for Jewish students, and crack down on hate speech.

They consider chants like “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “long live the intifada” to be akin to genocidal language. 

Though they didn’t give any specific examples, Camp Shalom believes that the Gaza Encampment and the Pro-Palestine movement generally has Anti-Semitic motivations and say they feel confronted by the protest actions of the encampment.

What happens next?

Attempts by the Gaza encampment to secure a public meeting with the university faculty have so far been unsuccessful, but the university plans to hold a Student General Meeting on the May 29. 

This rare event has only happened twice in the past half century, with the most recent being only five years ago. It is the largest deliberative body available to the students of UQ and the campers’ demands are expected to be on the agenda.