World

Antisemitism at UK universities is increasing

September 30, 2026 2:00 pm

[Source: Reuters]

Antisemitism at British universities is on the rise, with incidents up nearly 80% ​from before the October 2023 attacks ‌by Hamas on Israel, a report by a charity which provides security advice to Britain’s Jewish community ​said.

The Community Security Trust (CST) said ​it had recorded 178 university-related antisemitic incidents ⁠between the 2024 to 2026 academic years, ​with a 14% increase during 2025/26.

In total ​there were 95 incidents in 2025/26. That compared to 53 recorded in 2022/23, the last year before the ​Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent ​Israeli assault on Gaza.

Most incidents involved abusive behaviour, such as ‌verbal ⁠abuse, antisemitic comments, or graffiti aimed at students, staff or Jewish organisations. But there were two incidents of extreme violence in 2024/25 ​and six ​assaults across ⁠the two-year period.

Article continues after advertisement

During the two years covered by the report, 16 antisemitic ​incidents were perpetrated by university staff, ​the ⁠CST said.

“No student should have to choose between expressing their identity and feeling safe on ⁠campus, ​yet for too many Jewish ​students that remains a reality,” British education minister Lucy Powell ​said.