Pro-Palestinian students hold a sit-in in Melbourne on 15 May 2024 at Melbourne University's Arts West building, which the students have temporarily renamed as "Mahmoud's Hall" after Mahmoud Al Haq, a prospective University of Melbourne student, who died in Gaza. Photo: AFP / MARTIN KEEP
Pro-Palestine protesters who occupied a Melbourne university building last week have decided to end their encampment after they say the institution agreed to disclose connections to weapons manufacturers.
In a press conference on Wednesday night uploaded to social media, a Unimelb for Palestine spokesperson announced the encampments in the Arts West building and on the South Lawn would end.
A spokesperson for the group later told the ABC the University of Melbourne had agreed to disclose all research partnerships with weapons manufacturers.
"After months of campaigning, rallies, petitions, meetings and in recent weeks, the encampment, the University of Melbourne has finally agreed to meet an important demand of our campaign," the spokesperson said.
"This is a major win."
In the press conference uploaded to social media, the spokesperson said they demanded disclosure of ties within a month and that an independent party of the group's choice must oversee the process.
The spokesperson also said it would be a "gross injustice" if the university were to punish students for being involved in protests, and urged the institution's leadership to prevent this from happening.
"We are committed to our demands and will continue to build and fight until the University of Melbourne not only discloses but divests in full," the spokesperson said.
It is understood protesters will disband the encampments on Thursday morning.
University welcomes removal of encampment
In a statement, the University of Melbourne said they have welcomed the move.
"We welcome the willingness of the occupiers to leave the Arts West building and remove the encampment from our Parkville campus."
The University of Melbourne has not yet provided comment on the negotiations with the protesters.
On Wednesday last week, hundreds of demonstrators at the University of Melbourne stormed the Arts West building at its Parkville campus, in actions condemned by the university administration.
It followed the establishment of encampments at multiple Melbourne universities, and several weeks of student protests across the city calling for tertiary institutions cut ties with weapons companies.
Pro-Palestinian protesters at Monash University took down their encampment on Friday.
- ABC
