A new report has revealed an alarming rise in antisemitic abuse at UK universities since the Hamas massacre of 7 October, with Jewish students describing being harassed, silenced and abandoned by institutions meant to protect them.
The 36-page Voice of Students report, published Tuesday by the charity StandWithUs UK, compiles more than 30 anonymised testimonies from campuses including King’s College London, St Andrews, UCL and Manchester. Students describe being physically threatened, doxed online, intimidated in lectures and surrounded at peaceful vigils. Several say they were advised by wellbeing staff to “understand the other side” after reporting abuse. Others were reprimanded for speaking out.
At the University of Exeter, a student said a peer declared, “If I was a Palestinian, I would join Hamas.” At the University of Manchester, one student received death threats after criticising those celebrating the attacks. “They posted my full name, Instagram handle and even my address online,” she said.
“I’ve been punished for trying to protect myself.” At St Andrews, a student’s Jewish belongings were thrown to the floor by a flatmate who told her, “This flat will not support an inhumane government.”
The report also includes findings from a nationwide survey of 1,000 students. It found that 64 percent could not identify the 7 October atrocities as terrorism, and 29 percent described the massacre as “an understandable act of resistance”. Nearly four in ten agreed that students who supported Israel should expect abuse on campus.
Jewish students discuss rising campus antisemitism during a roundtable at the Israeli Embassy earlier this year. Photo Credit: StandWithUs UK
The report accuses universities of failing to act on complaints and warns that anti-Zionism has become a “socially acceptable proxy for antisemitism”. Students say they have been told to remove Israeli symbols, stay silent, and avoid speaking Hebrew for fear of being targeted.
Endorsed by eight cross-party parliamentarians, including Lord Austin, Baroness Deech and Bob Blackman MP, the report sets out recommendations including sanctions for universities that ignore antisemitism, a public inquiry into campus extremism, and mandatory reporting of incidents to the Office for Students. It also calls for the expulsion of students and staff who glorify terrorism or incite hate.
A debate on the issue is due to take place in the House of Lords this evening. StandWithUs UK said the findings represent an “urgent crisis” and urged immediate action to protect Jewish students.
