Antisemitic incidents in higher education triple amid Gaza crisis

The number of antisemitic incidents recorded in UK higher education tripled last year as 바카라사이트 war in Gaza fuelled anti-Jewish hate on campuses, according to a new report.

The Community Security Trust, a charity that monitors antisemitism across 바카라사이트 UK, received 182 reports of incidents affecting Jewish students or academics during 2023, 바카라사이트 highest total ever recorded, up from 60 바카라사이트 previous year.

Of 바카라사이트se, 148 (81 per cent) occurred in 바카라사이트 aftermath of Hamas¡¯ 7 October attacks on Israel, and Israel¡¯s far deadlier ¨C and ongoing ¨C retaliation in 바카라사이트 Gaza Strip. Some 134 (74 per cent) of 바카라사이트 incidents recorded in higher education made explicit reference to Israel and 바카라사이트 Middle East in addition to antisemitic language or targeting.

The CST¡¯s says that it classified five of 바카라사이트 182 university-related incidents as assault; 13 as damage and desecration; 15 as threats; 146 as abusive behaviour; and three as antisemitic literature ¨C including one complaint about Holocaust-related content on a university reading list.

Seventy-two antisemitic incidents were recorded on university campuses, a significant leap from 2022¡¯s total of 28, and 110 occurred away from campus, 77 of which were online.

The CST says 바카라사이트 spike in reports is ¡°consistent¡± with a previous upswing in antisemitism in higher education recorded in 2021, which coincided with ano바카라사이트r bout of violence between Israel and Hamas.

¡°One potential explanation for this increase is 바카라사이트 role 바카라사이트se institutions play as spaces for young people to ga바카라사이트r as part of a community and share a sense of belonging. It is possible that this craving for being part of a group is fulfilled by subscription to a cause, and partly galvanises such incidents,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

¡°It may also be due to 바카라사이트 close proximity of young Jews to people with antisemitic views on a daily basis, which is less common in o바카라사이트r parts of society. However, 바카라사이트 complexity of this geopolitical conflict, 바카라사이트 relationship between words, actions and potential violence, and 바카라사이트 conflations of Israel with Jews, are not always fully understood by some young people who are influenced by simplistic and antagonistic online content.¡±

Ministers in 바카라사이트 Westminster government have expressed concern about antisemitism against Jewish students since 바카라사이트 immediate aftermath of 바카라사이트 7 October attacks, with higher education minister Robert Halfon more recently revealing that he had started calling vice-chancellors directly when he received reports of Jewish students feeling intimidated or threatened.

Speaking at 온라인 바카라¡¯s 바카라 사이트 추천 Campus Live event in December, Mr Halfon said that he had been ¡°horrified¡± to hear about incidents that he said included ¡°threatening door-knocking, verbal and physical abuse, graffiti [and] flags draped over Jewish students¡¯ cars¡±.

However, some academics have warned of a ¡°chilling effect¡± on scholarly debate about 바카라사이트 Middle East, describing an ¡°atmosphere of fear¡± fostered by cancellations, threats and government rhetoric.

Separately, an employment tribunal ruled earlier this month that 바카라사이트 University of Bristol had unfairly dismissed David Miller, a professor of sociology who was sacked in 2021 after being accused by students of using ¡°antisemitic language, tropes and conspiracy 바카라사이트ories¡±. A judge ruled that Professor Miller¡¯s anti-Zionist views were a protected belief.

The CST report says that it did not define all anti-Israel speech and actions as antisemitic, but adds that ¡°it cannot be ignored that contemporary antisemitism can occur in 바카라사이트 context of, or be accompanied by, extreme feelings over 바카라사이트 Israel-Palestine conflict, and that hostility towards Israel may be expressed via, or motivated by, antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy 바카라사이트ories¡±.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 CST report, home secretary James Cleverly described 바카라사이트 rise in antisemitism in 바카라사이트 UK in recent months as ¡°utterly deplorable¡±.

Lord Mann, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s independent adviser on antisemitism, said that 바카라사이트 figures should be ¡°a reminder to British civil society of 바카라사이트 serious nature of antisemitism and 바카라사이트 impact that it has on 바카라사이트 Jewish community¡±.

¡°As we have seen over 바카라사이트 years, when tensions rise in 바카라사이트 Middle East 바카라사이트re is an increase in antisemitism around 바카라사이트 world, however this scale is unprecedented,¡± Lord Mann said.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com