Backchat
On Friday's Backchat, we're discussing ongoing pro-Palestinian protests on US campuses.
Dubbed as the "most sweeping and prolonged" demonstrations since the Vietnam war protests in the 1960s and 70s, the current unrest has seen dozens of students occupying campuses around the country, demanding universities divest from companies with reported ties to the Israeli military.
Over 1,300 protesters have been arrested throughout the US in the last two weeks, following clashes between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protesters.
There’ve also been protests in Europe, once again igniting discussion over the polarising effect conflicts in the Middle East can have on tertiary institutions around the world.
Supporters of the movement have called on universities to uphold their right to peaceful protest and free speech while critics argue the this has led to an increase in antisemitic acts of violence.
How do you think universities should handle these protests? Is the clampdown on protests also a clampdown on free speech?
After 9:45, we talk about Tuesday night's rainstorm, which left dozens of Hong Kong-bound flights diverted to nearby airports and some passengers traumatised over failed landing attempts.
9:05am-9:45am: Pro-Palestinian protests on US campuses
9:05am-9:45am: Gerard Postiglione, Emeritus and Honorary Professor; Coordinator at the Consortium for Higher Education Research in Asia, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong
9:05am-9:45am: Eyal Mayroz (PhD), Senior Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The University of Sydney
9:05am-9:45am: Prof. Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum and Deputy Director of the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University
9:45am-10:00am: Storm scare on a Hong Kong-bound flight
9:45am-10:00am: Paul Weatherilt, Chairman of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers’ Association
