Antisemitic incidents linked to universities in Britain have surged by 117% over the past two academic years, according to a report by the Community Security Trust (CST) and quoted by the Jewish News on Monday.
The CST recorded 325 university-related antisemitic incidents between 2022 and 2024 — 53 incidents during the 2022/23 academic year and 272 in 2023/24. This marks a sharp increase compared to the 150 incidents reported between 2020 and 2022, according to the data.
The 272 incidents in the 2023/24 academic year represent the highest number ever recorded in a single academic year, CST said. The rise has been largely attributed to a surge in antisemitic hate following the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Middle East conflict.
While CST emphasized that Jewish life on campus remains vibrant and full of opportunities, the charity noted that antisemitism has become a significantly greater challenge for Jewish students, staff, and chaplains since October 2023.
The report also highlighted a wave of complaints regarding pro-Palestinian Arab activism at universities, which often included extreme or violent rhetoric toward Israel, calls to exclude “Zionists,” or implicit support for terrorism. Although these cases did not meet CST’s criteria for antisemitism, they contributed to what many Jewish individuals experienced as a hostile campus environment.
In April and May 2024, pro-Palestinian student encampments were established at several UK universities to push for anti-Israel measures. CST documented six antisemitic incidents related to these encampments, including one direct threat and five cases of abusive behavior.
CST made several recommendations for universities, including establishing independent processes for handling discrimination complaints, ensuring staff are trained to apply the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and promoting a broader understanding of antisemitism’s impact on campuses.
Data released last month by the British government found that religious hate crime in England and Wales surged by a record 25 percent over the past year, driven by an increase since the onset of the Gaza war.
The highest annual tally of religious hate crimes in over a decade was attributed to a rise in offenses "against Jewish people and to a lesser extent Muslims" following the Hamas attack on October 7 last year, the interior ministry reported.
The data was released days after protesters carrying banners in support of Hezbollah marched through central London.
Incidents of antisemitism in Britain in recent months include one which occurred in May, when a woman carrying a large knife was arrested in Stamford Hill, north London.
The woman allegedly told a Jewish man that he is a "provocation" before adding, "You people, you Jewish...all the trouble you’re creating in the world."
On campuses, in late November, police launched an investigation after an incident in which when a woman set fire to an Israeli flag at a venue hosting an event for Jewish university students.