Unis hit with anti-Chinese posters

Signs in Chinese stating that universities are a "No Chinese Zone" were a threatening greeting for thousands of Monash and Melbourne University students on the first day of classes today. MATILDA BOSELEY reports

By MATILDA BOSELEY

Signs in Chinese stating that universities are a "No Chinese Zone" were a threatening greeting for thousands of Monash and Melbourne University students on the first day of classes today.

Posters displayed across both campuses translated as: "Note! This place Prohibits Chinese people to enter. If they desire to break the rules, they will face prosecution and the possibility of deportation.”*

Logos along the bottom claimed they were from the MSA, National Union of Students and Monash Chinese Student Association.

Similar signs at Melbourne University also claimed to be from their student union.

MSA president Matilda Grey said the union had no association with the signs.

“We are completely appalled by this behaviour; we don’t stand for it at all, and we would never have authorised or condoned this and we extend our solidarity and support to all Chinese student on campus,” Ms Grey said.

Ms Grey said university security had been working to remove all posters hung around campus. Twenty-three were removed by security staff.

The URL of a website belonging to the neo-Nazi group The Antipodean Resistance was on the back of the posters. The group later appeared to take responsibility for the posters (tweet below).

The Antipodean Resistance is a known far-Right and Nazi-sympathising group, consisting mainly of young men. They put up stickers and posters supporting the Holocaust and celebrating Hitler.

The group asserts that it is non-violent.

Nonwhites get PRANKED, told that Chinese are not allowed in two universities, report to the office or be deported: https://t.co/PxVlei5wbl pic.twitter.com/ejY7ya1Mkd — AntipodeanResistance (@NS_Australia) July 24, 2017

Ms Grey said the MSA had been informed that three men hung the posters around the campus in the early morning.

“A couple of students have emailed me saying that around 20 past seven they saw three people putting up those posters and didn’t realise at the time what they were. One of them was keeping watch while the other two stuck up posters,” Ms Grey said.

*Translation done by a student.