UK Universities See 14% Rise in Antisemitic Incidents

Antisemitic incidents at British universities have increased by 14% in the past year, according to a new report from the Community Security Trust (CST). The report documented 95 university-related antisemitic incidents, up from 83 the previous year. Despite this rise, the number of incidents remains lower than in 2024, the year following the October 7th Hamas attacks.

Universities UK (UUK), representing over 140 institutions, stated that its members "must protect Jewish students and staff" and called the CST report's findings "deeply concerning." British Education Secretary Lucy Powell echoed these sentiments, calling the findings "very worrying" and emphasizing the expectation for universities to adopt a "zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism" with training to help staff identify and respond to incidents.

Prior to the October 7th attacks, the CST recorded 53 antisemitic incidents in the academic year. This number surged to 272 in 2024. The article also briefly mentions concerns raised by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who stated that "Jewish lives in the country are no longer safe" following recent local election results in Germany that saw gains for far-right parties.