UNSW probes anti-Semitic incident

THE University of New South Wales (UNSW) says it is investigating an anti-Semitic incident that occurred during its student council elections last week.

Last Friday, two student campaigners danced around AUJS national executive member Jake Campbell while making Nazi salutes and singing the song Springtime for Hitler from Mel Brooks’s The Producers.

Both campaigners have since issued unequivocal public apologies, which Campbell has accepted. One of them, who was elected to the council, has offered his resignation. In a statement, AUJS said Campbell accepted the duo did not intend to offend him or the Jewish community, but “their conduct was nonetheless anti-Semitic”.

AUJS commended the duo for acting maturely and responsibly after the event, but expressed concern that other students had spoken out against Campbell for taking offence and going public with the incident.

“This belittles the seriousness of the incident and has led to even more serious anti-Semitic comments online,” the AUJS statement said.

“It is not acceptable to remonstrate against a victim of anti-Semitism for making his hurt public. It sends a dangerous message to students to justify such racially insensitive conduct.

“The Holocaust remains one of the great moral evils of our time and, with Holocaust survivors ageing rapidly, we bear a responsibility to ensure it is not forgotten, denied or belittled in any way.”

A UNSW spokesperson said: “The university does not condone any form of racist comment or behaviour on campus. This is clearly stated in our student code. The matter is under investigation.”

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council policy analyst Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz, a former AUJS national vice-president, said: “I find it very distressing and disappointing that Jake would have to go through something like this.

“I was even more distressed by the way that some associates of the two students who were harassing Jake jumped to defend their actions.

“I hope that everyone who is involved in student politics will talk about this incident with their colleagues and make sure that they understand why the conduct of the two students was not acceptable.”

GARETH NARUNSKY