<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hundreds of high school and university students have skipped class to rally against the war in Gaza by stopping traffic in Melbourne CBD in the middle of the afternoon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A tense stand-off took place between the group and police outside Flinders Street Station after the protesters sat in the middle of the busy intersection at Flinders and Swanston streets about 3pm.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>9News observed several people being arrested before 4pm, before protesters announced they were on the move, headed towards Federation Square.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/sport/afl/news-2025-carlton-blues-commit-michael-voss-2026-season-20250807-p5ml7t.html"><strong><span>Blues make surprise call on under-fire coach for 2026 season</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The protest, which was organised by Students for Palestine and the National Union of Students, began about 2pm outside the State Library.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The crowd of several hundred people then marched to Flinders Street Station.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The protesters are demanding an end to Australian military trade with Israel and for universities to end research and investments in the defence sector.</span></div></div><div class="tweet" data-tweet-id="1953323763946430949" data-user="9NewsAUS"></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/student-protest-against-war-in-gaza-causes-commuter-chaos-in-melbourne-cbd/acfb6673-1f26-408c-b05f-142f83798954" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our politicians continue to enable Israel's crimes in Gaza," National Union of Students Education Office James McVicar said in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They are sending critical aircraft components that allow Israel to rain terror from the sky. We are taking matters into our own hands on August 7."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tram services have been halted around Flinders Street Station.</span></div></div>