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The British government has called on universities to take stronger action to protect Jewish students, following a deadly attack on a synagogue in northern England and amid rising concerns over antisemitism on campuses in both the UK and the United States.
Education Minister Bridget Phillipson said institutions must use every tool available to confront hate and division, stressing that “one instance of antisemitic abuse is one too many.” She added, “The buck stops with universities when it comes to ridding their campuses of hate and they have my full backing to use their powers to do so.”
The government’s warning comes in the wake of the October 2 attack outside Manchester’s Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, where a British man of Syrian descent drove a car into pedestrians before stabbing several people on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Two men were killed in the assault, which has been described as a terrorist incident.
In response, Phillipson wrote to university vice-chancellors urging them to take “practical and proportionate steps” to ensure campuses remain safe spaces. She highlighted new rules introduced in August, requiring institutions to have clear policies and reporting mechanisms to address harassment of all kinds, including antisemitism.
The scale of the problem has been underscored by recent data. The Community Security Trust (CST) reported that last year was Britain’s second-worst year on record for antisemitism, with more than 3,500 incidents recorded. Meanwhile, figures from the Home Office showed that Jews suffered the highest rate of religious hate crimes in England and Wales in the year to March.
Concerns are not limited to the UK. In the United States, there has been a surge in antisemitic incidents on college campuses, particularly amid heightened tensions over the Israel-Gaza conflict. The Trump administration has threatened to cut federal funding to universities accused of allowing antisemitic displays during pro-Palestinian protests.
The UK government’s intervention reflects growing pressure on higher education institutions to balance freedom of expression with the need to protect students from hate speech and harassment. With antisemitism on the rise globally, universities are being urged to act decisively to ensure their campuses remain inclusive and safe for all.
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