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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Professor hired private investigator after protest, commission hears

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • A University of Melbourne professor hired a private investigator to identify protesters who occupied his office.
  • Professor Steven Prawer testified at a royal commission hearing on antisemitism and social cohesion on university campuses.
  • He expressed concern that some protesters might not have been students and that the university's investigation was insufficient.

Professor Steven Prawer, a physics academic at the University of Melbourne, revealed he hired a private investigator to identify individuals who stormed his office during a pro-Palestinian protest. He shared this account while testifying before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, which is examining the experiences of Jewish Australians on university campuses.

I had no idea at that stage if it was a protest, if it was a terrorist attack.

— Steven PrawerDescribing his initial reaction upon finding protesters in his office.

Prawer, who identifies as an observant Jew and Zionist, stated he was targeted by protesters who accused him of supporting genocide in Gaza. He believes the protest was linked to his role in a research collaboration with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and comments made at a pro-Israel rally. The protesters also drew connections between his academic work and the Israeli military, which Prawer denies.

On October 9, 2024, Prawer returned to his office to find approximately 20 masked protesters inside. He described the encounter as alarming, initially unsure if it was a protest or a more serious threat. The protesters occupied his office for several hours, despite his requests for them to leave.

I said, 'you're trespassing, you're in my private space'.

— Steven PrawerRecounting his words to the protesters who had entered his office.

He told the commission that the university's subsequent investigation into the incident was "opaque." While some students faced disciplinary actions, including expulsion or suspension, Prawer noted that 10 to 15 protesters remained unidentified. His decision to hire a private investigator stemmed from a genuine concern about the identity of those who entered his private space, particularly the possibility of them being outsiders rather than enrolled students.

They said to me, 'well, Israel trespasses on Palestinian lands', and I didn't know what to say to that. I said, 'please leave my office'.

— Steven PrawerRecounting the protesters' response and his plea for them to leave.

Prawer also mentioned that some students successfully appealed their penalties, celebrating their reduced sentences on social media. He drew a parallel to the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue in 2024, suggesting a potential link to the Iranian government and raising concerns about the broader climate of antisemitism.

The students were very pleased and posted about how happy they were they had avoided expulsion.

— Steven PrawerCommenting on the outcome of disciplinary appeals for some students involved in the protest.
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Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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