Surge in anti-Semitism at leading universities since Hamas terror attacks

BRITAIN’S leading universities have experienced a sharp increase in anti-Semitic incidents since the Hamas terror attack on Oct 7, analysis by The Telegraph suggests.

Data disclosed under freedom of information laws suggest Russell Group universities received five times as many reports of anti-Semitism in the first three months after the Hamas attack than in the entire year leading up to it.

In the 12 months leading up to Oct 7, the day on which Hamas is understood to have killed 1,200 Israelis and abducted another 250, there were 33 reports of anti-Semitism at the 19 Russell Group universities that responded to requests for data.

After the attack, 176 incidents were reported in less than three months.

No university had reported expelling a student accused of anti-Semitism in the past two years, although seven have faced disciplinary action.

Lord Carlile, the former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, called for an independent review of universities’ anti-Semitism policies.

“Anti-Semitism is being ignored by some universities, others disgracefully refused to cooperate with the inquiries they received, and there is clear inconsistency of approach,” he said.

The true number of reports is likely to be higher because five universities – Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, the London School of Economics (LSE) and Oxford – declined to disclose the data.

“Anti-Semitism is being ignored by some universities, others disgracefully refused to cooperate with the inquiries they received, and there is clear inconsistency of approach,” Lord Carlile said.

The Government promised in February to appoint an expert adviser on anti-Semitism in higher education, with Robert Halfon, the then-higher education minister, condemning vice-chancellors who “appease” it and are “not pro-active” in tackling it.

Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary, responding to the figures, said vice-chancellors needed to “crack down on anti-Semitic abuse on campus”.

“Jewish students must feel safe on campus,” she said.

Nicola Richards, co-chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-Semitism, said she would write to vice-chancellors to demand an explanation for their “at worst, weak” approach to “anti-Jewish racism”. Bristol, LSE and Oxford declined to share data on reported anti-Semiism incidents because they said it could lead to the identification of those who were subject to complaints and would breach general data protection regulation rules.

Birmingham said it would take longer than 18 hours to collate. Requests which take longer than this to answer can be refused under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Cambridge said it does not “classify complaints by reference to categories such as anti-Semitism and so we do not hold the information requested”.

A further 10 – Durham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton, University College London, Warwick and York – did not disclose specific figures for months when fewer than five complaints were made.

The Telegraph has counted each of these instances as one complaint, the lowest number possible, meaning the true number may be higher. The universities that received the most reports of anti-Semitism were University College London, Kings College London, and Queen Mary University of London.

Guy Dabby-Joory, of the Union of Jewish Students, said universities needed to reflect on the “horrifying” increase and take action to ensure Jewish students can thrive on campus.

A spokesman for the Russell Group said: “Our universities have clear processes in place to investigate complaints of this nature, and many have stepped up support since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza to make sure swift action is taken and students and staff get the help they need.”