Antisemitism on UK Campuses: A Growing Concern

0:00On March 16th, a new survey from the Union of Jewish Students reveals that anti-semitism has become normalized on UK University campuses. One in five students said they would be reluctant or would never house share with a Jewish student. The poll of a thousand students from all backgrounds found that nearly a quarter have seen behavior targeting Jewish students for their religion, or, and, ethnicity. Nearly half have witnessed justifications for the October 7th attacks by Hamas. Almost half have heard slogans glorifying Hamas, or other band groups, and 65% say their learning has been disrupted by protests. Jewish Students report growing social isolation, with one in four noting strained or distance friendships. Testimonies describe being chased, threatened, verbally abused, or even physically attacked, echoing experiences from 20 years ago. Universities UK says they are working with student groups and security services to combat anti-semitism and support university leaders in responding.

1:01The government recently announced more help for tackling extremism, including a new campus cohesion charter. The Office for Students vows to sanction universities that fail to protect students from harassment. This nationally representative poll from 170 institutions underscores the urgent need for real change on campuses.