The University of Sydney鈥檚 (USyd) threat to deport Luna, a transgender refugee, for writing pro-Palestine messages on a whiteboard has drawn attention to the university鈥檚 repression of campus activism.
USyd alleged Luna had engaged in 鈥渋nappropriate and unreasonable conduct鈥, under the draconian new Campus Access Policy (CAP), by writing messages calling on the university to cut ties with weapons manufacturers and Israeli institutions.聽
USyd threatened Luna with suspension, which under the terms of her student visa could mean forcibly sending her back to danger in Malaysia.聽
It was only when Luna went public with her story, making around the , that USyd rescinded its threats, blaming an 鈥渁dministrative error鈥.聽
The CAP is part of a broad attempt to erode the right to protest across the country, with draconian anti-protest laws introduced in most states.聽
Labor MLA Jason Yat-sen Li, who sits on the , is part of the New South Wales Labor government which has introduced the in the country.聽
Protesters in NSW have faced charges for non-violent acts of protest such as blocking shipping lanes and pro-Palestine protesters have been charged for protesting a weapons expo, handling out red food dye at a rally and protesting ZIM Shipping at Port Botany
While the rescinding of threats against Luna is a victory, it may be too early to celebrate as she may still be subject to other punishments.聽
The CAP means all students potentially face harsh punishments for protesting, or even speaking out about these incidents, and that university management cannot be held accountable to students or staff.聽
It is possible that other international students may have already been deported, and the CAP must be scrapped to ensure full accountability from university management.
It is a further reminder of the links between the treatment of international students and the ongoing struggle for refugee rights across the country as harsh legislation is introduced.聽
As part of the No Pride in Detention campaign, Pride in Protest (PiP) activists have been campaigning to free a trans woman held in the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre and expose the horrific reality of Australia鈥檚 border policy.聽
PiP have been communicating with detainees to organise visits, coordinate mutual aid efforts and collect information to help apply pressure on the Department of Home Affairs.
The campaign was successful in thwarting plans to deport women who had fled transphobic violence back to danger.聽
The release of individual detainees and challenging threats of deportation are important victories in the fight for justice and rights for refugees. Detainees can and have been freed with support from the community.
Despite these victories, we must confront the reality that Labor, with the support of the Coalition, has introduced .
Labor introduced a bill in November that allowed the confiscation of mobile phones from people in immigration detention. Mobile phones are one of the few links detainees have with the outside world and have been crucial tools to communicate with activists helping to resist deportation.聽
This exacerbates the poor conditions experienced by detainees in privatised centres, which are incentivised to cut quality of life measures to reduce spending.聽
It also removes accountability for Border Force officers who abuse or mistreat detainees.聽
Our struggle for justice extends from the university campus to the immigration detention centre and beyond. These institutions wield similar tactics to avoid public scrutiny and endanger the lives of refugees.聽
Luna鈥檚 case highlights the need for solidarity between movements for refugee rights, trans justice and the struggle for a free Palestine.
[Sign the to support Luna and attend the Trans Day of Visibility national day of action.]