Video by Kathie Hope via StalkerSpace

By SAM O'CONNELL

Videos of a vegan activist being dragged off Monash's Clayton campus have gone viral after being uploaded to StalkerSpace yesterday.

Greta Neal caught the attention of passersby at Campus Centre on Monday while holding a sign reading:  “We are physiologically herbivores.”

After being removed by police officers, Neal returned to the campus yesterday, only to be stopped again by security.

They were then escorted off campus for trespassing and could be heard repeatedly yelling: “I do not consent to being touched.”

Monash University student Daniel Taylor said the proceedings were “bizarre and pretty disturbing”.

“[Neal] had a little speaker and was singing a song, but it was so quiet I couldn’t even hear the words,” Mr Taylor said.

“Later … I heard yelling and looked to see two cops bodily dragging the person away.

“I honestly couldn’t believe it, I’ve never seen someone arrested on campus and there was obviously no danger posed,” he said.

While Monash University is open to the public, it falls under the category of a scheduled public place in the Summary Offenses Act 1966.

This means that if a person refuses to leave after being warned to do so by authorities, that person is guilty of a trespassing offence.

Neal is not currently enrolled as a student at Monash University and so did not have a lawful reason to be on campus.

A spokesperson for the Monash Vegan Society said Neal was not affiliated with their group.

“A lot of the committee is quite passionate with activism, but we generally try to be very friendly to open up plant-based living to students in an effective way,” they said.

“We aim to show them tasty sustainable alternatives, and show that reduction is the key rather than complete restriction.”

Reactions  to the incident on Facebook varied from supportive to negative. 

In a Facebook comment, Neal described their work as “activism” and said they were “informing” people about veganism rather than “protesting”.

“I am an activist … to stop environmental damage caused by the animal agriculture industry, improve everyone’s health, and treat animals ethically,” they said.

Neal refused to comment on the incident when approached by Mojo.

Monash University also declined to comment.