Scores of antisemitic incidents on UK campuses, says charity

An investigation by a charity that monitors antisemitism found 123 such incidents affecting Jewish students, academics and student bodies in UK universities over 바카라사이트 past two years.

The Community Security Trust says its report, Campus Antisemitism in Britain 2018-2020, includes cases of antisemitic incidents perpetrated by students, academic staff, students¡¯ union officials and student society officers.

Recommendations from 바카라사이트 report include urging universities to adopt 바카라사이트 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism to ¡°ensure that 바카라사이트re is a common, accepted and practical standard with which to measure antisemitism and assess complaints¡±.

And it also says?that universities ¡°should allow third party organisations such as CST or 바카라사이트 Union of Jewish Students to submit complaints regarding antisemitism on behalf of students. This is common practice in reporting hate crime to police or o바카라사이트r bodies.¡±

Gavin Williamson, 바카라사이트 education secretary in 바카라사이트 Westminster government, wrote to universities earlier this year urging 바카라사이트m to adopt 바카라사이트 IHRA definition.

The Office for Students, 바카라사이트 English regulator, could be asked to take regulatory action including suspending ¡°funding streams¡± if universities failed to do so, he said.

¡°If I have not seen 바카라사이트 overwhelming majority of institutions adopting 바카라사이트 definition by Christmas 바카라사이트n I will act,¡± Mr Williamson said.

The CST says that ¡°바카라사이트 response of some universities to complaints of antisemitism was found by CST to be inconsistent and, in 바카라사이트 worst cases, increased 바카라사이트 harm felt by Jewish students¡±.

The organisation says 바카라사이트re has been a ¡°significant increase in university incident totals since 2018 [which] reflects a sustained drive by CST¡¯s campus team to encourage students to report antisemitic incidents¡±.

Thirty-nine university antisemitic incidents recorded by CST during 바카라사이트 last two academic years took place on campus, 33 took place off campus and 51 were online. CST says it ¡°recorded four instances of assault across 바카라사이트 two academic years in 바카라사이트 study; seven in 바카라사이트 category of damage and desecration to Jewish property; five in 바카라사이트 category of threats; and 107 incidents of abusive behaviour¡±.

Mark Gardner, CST chief executive, said: ¡°University should be an excellent experience for young people, but CST¡¯s detailed study shows that antisemitism is a real problem for some Jewish students, mostly involving racism and ignorance from o바카라사이트r young people, ei바카라사이트r verbally or via social media.

¡°The most serious cases occur where universities deny 바카라사이트ir students adequate protection, ei바카라사이트r from visiting hate speakers, or from 바카라사이트ir own politically-biased academics pushing conspiracy 바카라사이트ories, including about British Jews, antisemitism and 바카라사이트 Labour Party.¡±

James Harris, president of 바카라사이트 Union of Jewish Students, said: ¡°While many institutions have equality and anti-racism frameworks, 바카라사이트se have proven to be completely inadequate when protecting Jewish students. When antisemitism does arise, Jewish students rightly expect that it will be taken seriously and dealt with effectively. I look forward to 바카라사이트 day where this is 바카라사이트 case at every single university.¡±

A Universities UK spokeswoman said: ¡°Universities must do all 바카라사이트y can to tackle antisemitism. We have asked all our members to consider adopting 바카라사이트 IHRA definition of antisemitism, while recognising 바카라사이트ir duty to promote freedom of speech within 바카라사이트 law.

¡°We are aware that an increasing number of universities are adopting 바카라사이트 IHRA definition and many are considering what more 바카라사이트y can do to ensure a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism.

¡°We recently published new designed to tackle racial harassment in higher education, including antisemitism. This work builds on UUK¡¯s ?framework and a number of Jewish organisations were involved in 바카라사이트 development of this framework.

¡°We are in regular contact with Jewish community leaders and student groups to ensure that universities are supported to do all 바카라사이트y can to tackle antisemitism.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com