Protests across Melbourne’s CBD over the past month have left international students increasingly fearful for their safety — with some reporting harassment, threats and racial slurs.
The weekend protests, marked by anti-immigration slogans, have drawn thousands to the steps of the State Library of Victoria and down Swanston Street.
Protests last Sunday saw tensions escalate as bystanders, including international students, got spotted in the crowd.
For Kai Chu, a 17-year-old Vietnamese student at Trinity College in Melbourne, what began as a grocery trip turned into a frightening ordeal.
“Unfortunately, I ran out of groceries and food, so my only option was to go out to … buy some food at Coles,” Kai said. He became caught in the crowd outside SLV.
“I felt really scared and threatened at that moment, as some of them even had knives and lighters,” Kai said.
"[Protestors] pushed me and even shouted racial slurs, threatening me and my family,” he said.
“I was scared for my life and just wanted to get away from the crowd as quickly as possible.”
Kai is not alone in his fears, with the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia telling SBS News it was concerned immigrants would become “targets” in the nationwide rallies.
Meanwhile, with 270,000 international students from more than 170 countries in Australia, international education contributed $51 billion to the Australian economy in 2023-24.
Australia relies heavily on international students for economic growth, and experts warn that unchecked hostility could undermine both the country’s reputation and its social cohesion.
A recent study in BMC Public Health found international students in Australia often feel unsafe due to discrimination and social isolation, with one study participant noting: “If you are feeling alone and you are not feeling safe, it impacts everything.”
The Federal Government report International Students and their Mental Health and Physical Safety highlighted the importance of clear well-being strategies, stronger student support services and culturally appropriate responses to safety concerns.
Government reviews have stressed that universities must take responsibility for student safety and well-being, with a raft of supports for international students.