Horror at the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university event in the United States should focus attention on the growing risk of violence in UK campuses, a campaigner against anti-semitism has warned. Stand With Us UK warns the fatal shooting of Mr Kirk should “send a chill through every British parent, student, and policymaker”.
Executive director Isaac Zarfati said Jewish students have been “shouted down, excluded, harassed, and in some cases physically threatened for expressing their identity or simply mourning Israeli victims”. In the UK, he said students reported lecturers “legitimising terrorist groups”, of vigils being disrupted and of complaints being dismissed.
Mr Zarfati said: “One student was told directly: ‘Your people should not be alive.’”
He added: “The evidence is overwhelming. Yet the institutional response is silence, delay, or inaction. Universities claim their hands are tied by freedom of speech obligations, while government departments prefer to look the other way. This abdication of responsibility is creating precisely the climate in which violence becomes possible.”
He further warned: “If, God forbid, a British campus were to suffer the kind of tragedy now seen in the United States, the responsibility would rest squarely with those who ignored the warnings. Government and universities must act, now.”
Arguing that universities should not be “breeding grounds for fear”, he said: “If leaders continue to cover up, minimise, or excuse the reality, they will own the consequences. The shooting in America is a tragic warning.
“Britain must not wait for a similar wake-up call on its own campuses.”
A Government spokesperson said: “There is absolutely no place for anti-semitism, hate speech or violence in our society, and it is essential that everyone regardless of race, religion, or background, feels safe. Everyone is entitled to their political opinions and has the right to campaign on issues, but any action must be conducted lawfully.
“While universities are responsible for setting their policies to keep students and staff safe, this Government expects universities to tackle harassment on campus robustly, act decisively and work with the police where needed.”