Students for Palestine demand return of Australian activists in snap rally

Participants of the snap rally helped to 'set sail' paper boats in honour of the Global Sumud Flotilla. (Credit: Harrison Caithness)

Students for Palestine organised a snap rally on Thursday afternoon at Bowen St, RMIT University, demanding universities to cut ties with weapons companies and for the return of Australian activists.

The snap rally, part of Palestine Solidarity Week, was held in light of the Global Sumud Flotilla being intercepted off the coast of Crete by the Israeli Defence Forces.

The snap rally included a short march around Bowen St. (Credit: Jessica Djendria)

The flotilla mission consisted of about 55 boats, several of which held Australian activists including Students for Palestine member, Ethan Floyd.

The mission had sought to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, delivering food and medicine to Palestinians. 

Shirley Killen, an organiser with Students for Palestine, said that Students for Palestine demands the Australian government “does everything in its power to get these activists released and brought back to Australia.”

Gemma Seymour, a Students for Palestine member, said that students “have the responsibility to fight at our universities and on the streets to bring these activists back”.

Gemma Seymour, a Students for Palestine and RMIT Socialists member, at the snap rally on Thursday. (Credit: Jessica Djendria)

Gemma Seymour faced potential suspension from RMIT last month over a video on Instagram demanding that the university’s Sir Lawrence Wackett Defense and Aerospace Centre be shut down.

The misconduct case against Seymour has since been dropped. 

“Universities are supposed to be institutions of freedom of speech,” Seymour said.

Palestine Solidarity Week will close with a national student assembly on May 1, with the University of Melbourne’s public lecture theatre as one of its locations. 

Students for Palestine hoped to get into contact with Ethan Floyd in time for the assembly. 

22 boats have been intercepted by the IDF, as per latest data on the Global Sumud Flotilla Tracker.