British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned of “anti-Semitic abuse” at British universities as protests against the Gaza war grow and the government seeks to stem the kind of unrest seen on American campuses in recent weeks. asking for an end to
LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned of “anti-Semitism” at British universities as protests against the war in Gaza grow and the government seeks to stem the kind of unrest seen on American campuses in recent weeks. We are calling for an end to “sexual abuse.”
The comments came as Mr Sunak and the Education Secretary prepare to meet university leaders at Downing Street Downing Street on Thursday.
“A vocal minority on campus disrupts the lives and studies of other students, and in some cases spreads outright harassment and anti-Semitic abuse,” Sunak said in a statement. “This has to stop.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters have begun building camps at universities across the UK over the past two weeks as students and academics demand that universities sever ties with Israel over attacks in the Gaza Strip.
About a dozen camps have been set up in recent days at universities including Oxford and Cambridge. The demonstrations have so far been relatively small and peaceful, but some Jewish students have expressed concerns about anti-Semitism.
The number of anti-Semitic incidents on British university campuses tripled last year as tensions over the Middle East wars increased, according to the Community Security Trust, a group that fights anti-Semitism in the UK.
