University antisemitism 'significantly higher' than before 7 October attacks, charity warns

The number of antisemitic incidents at British universities is "significantly higher" than before the 7 October attacks nearly three years ago, a charity has warned.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism in Britain, recorded 95 reports of antisemitic incidents affecting Jewish students, academics, university staff or campus organisations during the 2025/26 academic year, up from 83 over the previous 12 months - a 14% increase.

It comes after an "unprecedented" 272 incidents were reported during the academic year of 2023/24, the charity added.

In 2022/23 - the last academic year before Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel and the subsequent conflict in Gaza - there were 53 antisemitic incidents reported at UK universities.

CST pointed to what it called a "baseline level of antisemitism that is significantly higher" than before 7 October 2023.

Most of the incidents (149) during the last two academic years were classed as abusive behaviour, but the charity logged two incidents of extreme violence in 2024/25 - in Edinburgh and Leeds.

Also highlighted by the charity were antisemitic incidents perpetrated by university staff, of which there were 16 across the two years.

As the new academic year gets under way, the charity urged institutions to make a clear distinction between anti-Israel speech or activity, and antisemitism, and enforce this difference through disciplinary action where necessary.

Mark Gardner, chief executive of the CST, said: "These figures show that Jews are still facing a very serious campus antisemitism problem.

"It is particularly troubling that a growing proportion of the anti-Jewish actions involve university staff, who carry authority and make victims feel especially vulnerable.

More from Sky News:
'Appalling' rise in antisemitic incidents revealed
Arrests over 'terror plot' to target Jewish community

Education Secretary Lucy Powell called the CST's findings "deeply troubling".

She 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."

Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK (UUK), said universities "have a responsibility to protect Jewish students and staff from abuse, and to ensure that students and staff clearly understand where the expression of a strongly held view becomes antisemitism and harassment".

Shadow education secretary Laura Trott accused some universities of "simply not doing enough" to crack down on antisemitic incidents as she called for greater scrutiny of higher education institutions, adding "there must be consequences for this vile behaviour".

In May, the former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said universities would be expected to publish details of antisemitic attacks on campuses as he called on universities to "demonstrate action" when abuses take place.

(c) Sky News 2026: University antisemitism 'significantly higher' than before 7 October attacks, charity warns