UK Campus Antisemitic Incidents Jump Over 400% as Jewish Students Hide Identity
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 26
UK Campus Antisemitic Incidents Jump Over 400% as Jewish Students Hide Identity
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 26
Summary
272 antisemitic incidents were reported on UK campuses in 2023-24, up from 53 a year earlier, as Jewish students told the BBC abuse had become "normalised" and many concealed kippahs, Hebrew or Star of David necklaces.
Students at more than 10 universities in England and Wales linked the hostility to the fallout from the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack and Israel's war in Gaza, saying criticism of Israel often spilled into abuse of Jewish peers.
Cardiff, Manchester, Swansea and Bangor students described slurs, swastikas, threatening graffiti and safety fears; one society leader said routine events required counter-terrorism checks, while others said complaints were sometimes minimized.
A March 2026 Union of Jewish Students report called for enforceable standards on investigating and punishing hate crime, and a survey of 1,000 students found 25% did not care much or at all whether Jewish students could be open about their identity.
Universities UK, representing more than 140 institutions, said campuses were improving support, reporting and safety, while individual universities cited zero-tolerance policies and closer work with Jewish students and police.