British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged his government to address the issue of antisemitic abuse at universities across the U.K. This call comes as the anti-Israel protest movement, which originated in the U.S. at Columbia University, has now spread to Europe.
Sunak, along with the education secretary, is set to meet with university leaders at the prime minister's office in Downing Street to discuss this pressing matter.
In a statement, Sunak expressed concern over a vocal minority on campuses disrupting the lives and studies of fellow students, and in some cases, engaging in outright harassment and antisemitic abuse. He emphasized the need for these actions to cease immediately.
Pro-Palestinian protesters have recently established encampments at various universities in the U.K., with demands for the institutions to sever ties with Israel in response to its actions in the Gaza Strip. Notable universities such as Oxford and Cambridge have seen the construction of these encampments in the past few weeks.
While the demonstrations have been described as relatively small and peaceful, there have been reports of Jewish students expressing concerns about antisemitism within this context.
According to a group dedicated to combating antisemitism in Britain, the number of antisemitic incidents on university campuses tripled last year following Israel's response to the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Gaza.
