At the University of Canterbury (UC) Graduation on 15/04/2026, UC Security ordered a student to remove a keffiyeh* from under their graduation regalia before they would be allowed to attend their ceremony. The mandate came from the Head of Security, who told the student that the cultural garment was 'inappropriate,' 'did not count as cultural wear,' and was 'promoting protest.' The student was told they would not be able to attend the graduation ceremony wearing the keffiyeh, where they were to receive their degree shortly thereafter. Their keffiyeh was then confiscated for the ceremony.
The student, who did not want to be named, said “I felt I had no choice but to comply with the request or be outright excluded. If the head of Security is comfortable forcing students to disrobe a keffiyeh at his request, then how can students' rights to cultural expression exist at UC?”
Students for Justice in Palestine Canterbury (SJP) describes the move as “overtly racist- and an indefensible, conscious promotion of Islamaphobic ideology.” Spokesperson for the group Joseph Bray states; “Threatening to withhold the graduation of a student based on the wearing of a keffiyeh is a serious overstep of Security powers, and a disgusting display of cultural weaponisation by the University.” UC Security determined that this student could not wear their cultural attire based entirely on their physical appearance, in a disgusting form of racist overreach. Who is any member of the University of Canterbury to determine if somebody is 'appropriate' enough to wear cultural clothing?”
This incident follows from a continual stream of accusations of racism against UC Security. SJP has identified multiple instances in which students feel UC Security has acted in a racist manner towards them because of their Muslim faith, nationality, or appearance. Many of these students say they have attempted to seek support from both the University and the UCSA, but have been told the complaint would likely not result in any further action against Security. One student who wishes to remain anonymous, describes their experience: 'The processes of complaints at UC are unproductive and discouraging […] there needs to be room for external investigation.”
SJP has too experienced the continual failures and lack of justice from UC's internal investigations process. For example, In May 2025, UC Security Supervisor Daniel O'Sullivan broke a student's arm and concussed two others while forcibly removing them from a peaceful SJP sit-in over UC's $300,000+ investment in weapons and armaments (1). Similarly, in March 2025, UC Security sent surveillance footage of a legal anti-Police talk to the Police themselves without being presented a warrant, in a significant breach of attendees' privacy (2). Further, in 2025 a student was sprayed in the face with a high-power pressure washer by a UC Security Guard for filming the removal of pro-Palestinian chalk on Campus. Spokesperson Joseph Bray states: “The lack of any substantial repercussions for these actions highlights the University of Canterbury's wilful acceptance of both violence and racism within the institution. As long as UC refuses to acknowledge and rectify their biases, students will continue to experience racism and violence from their university, with no genuine redress.”
Students for Justice in Palestine Canterbury reiterates our call for the University of Canterbury to sever all ties with the apartheid state of Israel, and the companies which provide it material support. Additionally, they must condemn the intentional destruction of universities in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Iran, and Syria by the Israeli Defence Force and United States Military, as well as work to provide active pathways to ensure the safety and academic freedom of students and academics within. Internally, we demand a truly independent investigation into the culture of racism and violence at the institution-level within UC and within UC Security.
Students for Justice in Palestine Canterbury
* The keffiyeh is a traditional West Asian article of clothing, and distinct variations have been adopted by numerous nations and peoples as both a form of protection from the elements, as well as a cultural symbol. One particular design has been used as a symbol within the Palestinian movement for liberation, though its association with the movement certainly does not undermine its cultural significance to the Palestinian people.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360674351/video-shows-scuffle-university-canterbury-pro-palestine-protest
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/14-04-2025/activists-raise-concerns-over-police-obtaining-cctv-footage-of-meeting-at-university