The prime minister has backed a police crackdown on any outbreak of disorder on university campuses, as Jewish students warned that pro-Palestinian encampments are creating a “hostile and toxic atmosphere”.
In recent days, new encampments have been set up at the universities of Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol and Newcastle, among others, after violent scenes on US campuses resulted in mass arrests of students and staff.
The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) issued a statement on Thursday in which they said Jewish students are angry, tired and hurt by “the continuous torrent of antisemitic hatred on campus” since the 7 October attacks by Hamas.
Representing 9,000 Jewish students in the UK and Ireland, the UJS said: “While students have a right to protest, these encampments create a hostile and toxic atmosphere on campus for Jewish students.”
The UJS also urged universities to fulfil their responsibilities. “Let us be clear. We will not stand for this hatred. It’s time that universities took their duty of care to Jewish students seriously.”
The UJS said Jewish students were beginning their exams as their peers “seek to replicate scenes of hatred from US campuses, with protesters already having called to ‘globalise the intifada’ to support the Houthis in Yemen and to not ‘engage with Zionists’,” the UJS warned.
More than 100 students at Manchester University spent Wednesday night in the “camp of resistance for Palestine” in Brunswick Park, demanding that the university end its links with BAE Systems and other arms companies, cut its ties with Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and stop all “unethical research”.
Unlike the violent scenes on US campuses, protests by UK students since the crisis in Gaza began have been generally peaceful and on a much smaller scale. There has, however, been an increase in reported incidents of antisemitism at UK universities, according to the Community Security Trust, a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats.
“We have always been clear that Jewish students must feel safe on campuses,” Rishi Sunak’s offical spokesman said on Thursday, “and whilst our universities rightfully pride themselves on their openness and tolerance and diversity, it is obviously absolutely clear that any antisemitism shouldn’t be tolerated.
“While we firmly believe in the power of rigorous free speech and debate, the right to that does not include the right to harass others or incite others to violence or terrorism.”
The education secretary, Gillian Keegan, had previously contacted all university vice-chancellors, asking them to crack down on antisemitic abuse on university campuses.
Sunak’s spokesman would not comment on protests in the US, but said: “We’ve always been clear that people have a right to peaceful and lawful protest but clearly people shouldn’t abuse that right to intimidate others, cause unnecessary disruption.
“Obviously the police already have extensive public order powers to tackle disorder at protests and will continue to have our full support in doing so if needed.”
The leader of the Commons, Penny Mordaunt, condemned the “disgusting” scenes in the US, which resulted in the arrest of more than 1,000 protesters, and said UK protesters should be met with an “extremely strict response” if they attempt to replicate the violent pro-Palestinian demonstrations seen on US university campuses.
Speaking in the Commons, the Conservative former minister Sir Michael Ellis asked for a debate on antisemitism at UK universities. “There are reports in today’s press that some groups wish to actually replicate American-style protests where we’ve seen rioting and criminal damage.”
He said “terrorist slogans” had been chanted and “Hamas headbands” worn at the US protests, adding: “We don’t want this type of terrorist-supporting delinquency in this country at UK universities.”
Mordaunt said: “I think, and I hope, all UK universities will be in no doubt about their responsibilities to all that attend their campuses and their facilities but, in particular, those communities that are feeling particularly under attack.
“That is what we expect of them and we hope and expect that they will meet any such notion of similar protests with an extremely strict response.”
Universities UK, which represents 142 institutions, said members were monitoring the latest news on campus protests in the US and Canada. “As with any high-profile issue, universities work hard to strike the right balance between ensuring the safety of all students and staff, including preventing harassment, and supporting lawful free speech on campus. We continue to meet regularly to discuss the latest position with university leaders.”
