Student-led pro-Palestinian protests, extending beyond the U.S., have manifested in Australia where dozens have established an encampment at the University of Sydney.
Sydney University student leaders say this is only the second student-led international protest outside of the U.S., since students at Columbia University in New York set up tents on the campus earlier this month to show their support for Palestine. That set up a wave of protests at other U.S. campuses.
Unlike what happened at Columbia, where police were called in to clear the encampment, university leaders in Sydney are reportedly allowing peaceful protests here to continue.
More than 100 students have set up tents here since April 23, some with signs of support. They are calling for the university to cut ties with Israeli universities and companies.
"It's beyond the pale. It's disgusting. It is a genocide. And our university is directly complicit through partnering with institutions which profit from the slaughter. And it should also contribute to it," said a student named Jacob Starling.
"We're here in solidarity with Gaza. We're here in solidarity with the people of Palestine, Palestinians all over the world who are facing, you know, genocide, who are facing apartheid, who are facing the biggest threat to their existence since 1948," said Rand Darwish, a student.
While the university is allowing this to continue as a form of peaceful protest, it is apparently monitoring the situation and has warned it won't hesitate to take action if this breaches what the university considers acceptable.
Pro-Palestinian campus protests spread from US to Australia
Organizers of the 2024 Shanghai International Film and TV Festival on Tuesday unveiled the jury panels who will both pick out the winners of the prestigious Golden Goblet Award for best film and the year's best TV content in the highly sought after Magnolia Awards.
Scheduled to run from June 14-28, the annual event, jointly hosted by the China Media Group (CMG) and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, will select the very best productions out of thousands of films and TV creations which are vying for victory in the coveted entertainment industry awards.
During a press briefing for the event held in the capital Beijing on Tuesday, officials revealed the promotional posters for both events, drawing inspiration from the captivating cityscape and iconic landmarks of the east China metropolis of Shanghai.
Additionally, the jury committees for the major competition categories were announced. Notably, French-Vietnamese filmmaker Tran Anh Hung will lead the jury panel for the Golden Goblet Award, while Chinese director Yan Jiangang will preside over the top Magnolia Award for the TV industry.
The CMG will provide comprehensive coverage of the two-week-long festival period, with over 300 hours of uninterrupted live streaming, while also inviting renowned figures from the film and TV industry to share their insights and experiences during a series of special programs aired as part of the event.
Organizers note that thousands of works have come in from around the world, offering a distinct international flavor with a feast of different cultures, while a record number of productions are also set to make their debuts during the festival.
"We have received over 3,700 films from 105 countries and regions for exhibition or competition for the Golden Goblet Award since the collection began. A total of 2,224 works registered for competition, with over 1,375 works making their debut during the festival, marking a record high. This underscores the growing international influence of the Golden Goblet Award and reflects our commitment to cultural exchanges worldwide with strong cultural confidence, advancing Shanghai's vision of becoming an international cultural metropolis," said Chen Guo, director of Shanghai International Film and TV Festival Center.
Authorities unveil jury panels for upcoming Shanghai Int'l Film, TV Festival
