Yasmine Johnson is a Jewish student and was one of the principal organisers of the University of Sydney Gaza Solidarity Encampment which began in May 2024.
On Monday, July 13, she gave evidence at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, representing Students for Palestine.
She spoke about university protests against Israel's genocide, how her family history compelled her towards opposing racism, and the way claims of anti-Semitism have been used to silence opposition to Israel.
In this interview with Lamestream, Yasmine discusses her decision to speak in front of the Royal Commission, what the process was like behind-the-scenes, the experience of being cross-examine, and the future of the protest movement.
What made you want to make a submission to the Royal Commission, given how politicised it has become?
It was clear from the outset that the Royal Commission was going to attempt to denigrate the Palestine movement. Witnesses have conflated the presence of instances of genuine anti-Semitism with acts like displaying Palestine flags and keffiyehs, or using the phrase ‘from the river to the sea’ to call for Palestinian freedom.
The commission has overwhelmingly prioritised testimony by those who want to accuse our anti-genocide protests and speech of anti-Semitism, though I was grateful to see Sarah Schwartz, from the Jewish Council of Australia, appear before the Commission to give evidence about the effects of her support of Palestine.
It’s really because of this general climate of the Commission, which has totally ignored the genocide being carried out in Gaza, that I felt the need to make a submission. It was done in the hope that I would be able to speak to defend our right to oppose genocide and expose some of the slander put before the Commission.
