University campuses are supposed to be a safe space for students of all backgrounds to debate ideas, express opinions and openly practise their religion. However, this reality has been threatened for Jewish and Muslim students across the UK. The Community Security Trust has recorded 67 antisemitic incidents from 7 October to 3 November at 29 campuses, compared with 12 in the same period last year. With reports of students being ‘harassed’ and ‘intimidated’, the Union of Jewish students said Jewish students were feeling, ‘deeply anxious.’
There is a similar feeling of ostracization for Muslim students, with many commenting on the general atmosphere of anxiety and fear. This atmosphere was no more prevalent then during the pro-Palestine March in London on the 11th of November. Where far right groups such as the English Defence League (EDL) counter protested and started riots. Which led to the arrest of 145 people, the vast majority being far-right counter protesters.
Universities have responded by offering support to students of all backgrounds, as well as doubling down on their no tolerance policies towards hate and the glorification of terrorist groups. However, solving the problem requires getting to the root causes of the issue. The recent war did not create antisemitism or Islamophobia it has merely awoken a tribal sense of fear, that has led to a lack of objectivism within the debate on the conflict and increased zealotry on either side of the argument. Universities should be promoting a more moderate discourse, to build empathy and encourage students to withdraw from the blind support of harmful slogans.
