Universities Must Act on Antisemitism, Says Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson
Universities need to take action to protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination on campus, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has emphasized. She outlined measures to combat antisemitism, highlighting an alarming rise in such incidents at universities.
Phillipson expressed concern over the increasing prevalence of antisemitism, stating that many Jewish students currently feel unsafe on campus. She announced that the UK government is funding training for university staff and students to address this issue. According to her, "There can be no place for harassment and intimidation. Universities can and must act on that."
In the same program, Conservative shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel criticized the Labour government's handling of antisemitism, particularly the 'hate marches' she described as racist towards the Jewish community. Patel argued that the 'hatred' was evident in London's streets on Saturday, where thousands protested in support of Palestinians.
These protests have been a regular occurrence at universities, including the second anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel. Despite Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's pleas, students continued to demonstrate, with some calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
A recent report by CST revealed a 117% increase in antisemitic incidents on university campuses in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years compared to the previous two years. Phillipson shared her conversations with Jewish students who felt the need to conceal their identity, emphasizing the unsafe environment on campus.
She wrote to university vice-chancellors, urging them to take steps to protect Jewish students from harassment. The government has allocated funding for the Union of Jewish Students to conduct 600 training sessions, aiming to support students, identify harassment, and promote interfaith understanding.
Additionally, a £4 million fund will support projects teaching students to identify online misinformation, while a £2 million scheme will educate secondary school pupils in England about the Holocaust, the genocide of Jews during World War II.
Patel defended the right to protest and freedom of expression but criticized pro-Palestinian marches as 'ugly protests' that demonstrated 'division and hatred' in society. She pointed to the recent protests in London, where tens of thousands gathered, as an example of the rising antisemitism in Britain's Jewish community.
