All power to Grant

Never thought I’d by writing this, but Grant Robertson is becoming my favourite Vice-Chancellor.

Critic reports:

The University of Otago’s stance of “institutional neutrality” on Israel’s actions in Palestine has continued to be fiercely criticised by its staff and students. On Wednesday, October 9th, the Otago Students for Justice in Palestine (OSJP) held a peaceful campus protest that spiralled into one student being arrested for wilful damage of a Clocktower reception glass door.

Institutional neutrality means that staff and students can take their own view on highly contested issues, as it should be. All power to Grant Robertson for standing firm on this.

Neave also came for Otago’s stubbornly neutral stance, yelling, “In taking no stance, this university de facto endorses the continuation of the genocide. This should forfeit their claimed role of the conscience and critic of society. If you can’t take a stand against genocide, what the fuck can you take a stand for?” Their words were met with applause and shouts of “shame!” from the crowd.

Genocide is the view of Neave. Disagreeing with him doesn’t;’t mean you support genocide. It means you don;’t agree that what Israel is doing is genocide, or even remotely close to it.

I wonder if Neave thinks you should also take a stand against murder, rape torture and kidnapping of civilians? To quote him, “If you can’t take a stand against murder, rape, torture and kidnapping, what the fuck can you take a stand for?”

Neave wrapped up their speech by calling on protestors to stage a sit-in inside the Clocktower on the stairs. OSJP said this was “a move carefully planned by OSJP harkening back to current Vice-Chancellor Grant Robertson’s very own clocktower [sic] occupation in his university days.” As a group broke off from the crowd to rush inside, Neave warned that doing so would be at their own risk as they “might be trespassed.” 

“The energy changed quickly when students were met with violence,” claimed OSJP. “Campus Watch and Proctor Dave Scott forcefully held the protestors back at the door, shouting and pushing them back through the entrance. A Campus Watch officer grappled a student who had made it past the front doors and was standing in the entranceway. In an attempt to wrestle her backwards, he collided with an interior glass door which shattered.”

“I was appalled to see Campus Watch put guarding the Clocktower above the safety of our students. We are a peaceful group, and that was a totally excessive response,” said an OSJP spokesperson.

The double speak is hilarious. They tried to force their way past security staff, and they claim they are the ones who are peaceful!