New Publication from B’nai B’rith International, democ., and the European Union of Jewish Students

B’nai B’rith International, democ., and the European Union of Jewish Students launched on August 26 a new report titled “A climate of fear and exclusion”: Antisemitism at European universities. The report sheds light on the alarming rise of antisemitism persisting in university spaces nearly two years after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks. Ahead of the start of a new school year, the findings highlight the urgent need for stronger institutional responses to safeguard Jewish students and preserve academic integrity.

The report gathers insights from experts on the ground about the situation in eight countries in the European Union—Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden—as well as the United Kingdom.

From across countries, clear and repeated patterns of antisemitic or otherwise harmful behaviors emerge, among which:

• Threats and physical violence directed toward individual Jewish students or staff
• Calls to violence as appropriate protest action
• Solidarity with Hamas as well as other terrorist movements and individuals
• Widespread Holocaust distortion and instrumentalization
• Calls for the destruction of Israel
• Widespread vandalism following protests, sit-ins and encampments as well as targeted vandalism of Jewish premises

The report also reveals coordination and involvement of organizations with documented ties to terror, such as Samidoun or Masar Badil, both known for their links to the PFLP—the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a United States and European Union-designated terrorist organization.

To address this concerning reality, the report offers concrete recommendations for university leadership that have thus far largely failed to take appropriate action.

B’nai B’rith International President Robert Spitzer and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin, note: “This report makes clear that Europe’s universities are failing their Jewish students. Just as we have seen on campuses across the United States, antisemitism here is too often excused as ‘activism’—but in reality, it is a threat to safety, inclusion and the very integrity of higher education.”

B’nai B’rith International Director of EU Affairs Alina Bricman, notes: “When Jewish students fear being violently harassed on campus, when in the most prestigious European universities Jewish students might find swastikas or death threats on their personal property, when they are not allowed access to spaces and events due to their presumed Zionism—the free speech argument is a canard. The lack of action on the part of academic institutions is shameful.”

Democ. Co-Executive Director Grischa Stanjek notes: What we are seeing on individual campuses are not isolated incidents of student protest. The documentation gathered in this report makes it clear that we are dealing with highly coordinated, transnational networks that operate as part of a global movement. They strategically disguise an antisemitic agenda in the language of human rights to gain legitimacy. University leaders are making a grave mistake if they treat these events as local flare-ups instead of what they are: calculated manifestations of a global, anti-democratic campaign.

In her foreword to the report, European Commission Coordinator on Combatting Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life Katharina von Schnurbein noted: “European Jewish students have at times opted to hide their identity or in some cases abandon in-person learning altogether due to the environment of hatred that has surrounded them. […] Decisive action, and where necessary prosecution, is needed to prevent further poisoning of the public space. The present report is an important documentation of the lived realities on university campuses that should inform immediate action by university administrators and policymakers alike.”

The full report is accessible here.

democ is a non-profit association of journalists, academics and media professionals who work together to observe, document and analyze anti-democratic movements. The organization analyzes how these forces operate, why they are gaining strength and how they can be countered. Based in Germany, democ engages with German and European stakeholders to raise awareness and provide policymakers and civil society with firsthand, raw documentation through articles, videos, web documentaries, workshops and lectures.

The European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) is a pluralistic, inclusive and non-partisan umbrella organization representing Jewish student unions across 36 countries in Europe. EUJS supports Jewish students and represents them in front of international institutions and Jewish communal bodies. Founded in 1978, EUJS organizes capacity-building and awareness-raising trainings and seminars, produces research and reports on issues affecting young Jews in Europe and engages in advocacy efforts to inform and shape policy related to antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.

B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit bnaibrith.org.