Jewish student beaten with bat amid rise in anti-semitism

A JEWISH student was assaulted with a bat in one of the rising number of antisemitic incidents on British campuses, a charity has warned.

The Community Security Trust (CST) said it received 150 reports of antisemitic incidents affecting Jewish students, academics, university staff and student bodies across the UK during 2020-21 and 2021-22.

In contrast, there were 123 antisemitic incidents at universities reported in the previous two academic years.

The figures from the CST, which monitors anti-semitism and supports Jewish people across the UK, come after an independent investigation last week revealed that Jewish students have faced a “hostile” culture and were treated as pariahs within the National Union of Students (NUS).

It also found that the NUS had failed to sufficiently challenge incidents of anti-semitism on campuses.

The report, “Campus Anti-semitism in Britain 2020-2022”, published today, details instances of anti-semitic violence and assault – including one instance in which a student was hit with a bat – death threats, abusive behaviour and anti-semitic graffiti.

Lord Mann, the Government’s independent adviser on anti-semitism, said: “Anti-semitism on campus has long been a concern for parents and students, and the reported rise in university-related anti-semitic incidents over the past few years is both worrying and unacceptable.”