Jewish students have revealed shocking examples of antisemitism sweeping Britain’s universities, including one case where a swastika was scrawled on a fridge at a party.
A BBC investigation found that some students feel antisemitism has now become so "normalised" that they routinely hide signs of their Jewish identity for fear of abuse.
Reports of antisemitic incidents on campuses in the UK rocketed by 400% in one academic year.
There were 53 incidents reported in the 2022-23, compared to 272 in 2023-24, according to the Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism across the country.
Details of the swastika being daubed at a student party at Manchester University were revealed by Daniel Shnaybman, 20, who takes over as co-president of the university’s Jewish Society in September.
He told the JC: “The party was held by a good friend of mine. There were quite a few people there and obviously some random people who didn’t know Ben that well and didn’t realise he was Jewish.
“When they found out, they used the sort of marker you use on a white board to draw the swastika on the fridge door.
“It is shocking, and offensive but it is the sort of thing we are seeing much more since October 7.”
Daniel Shnaybman (Courtesy)[Missing Credit]
The party was held in 2024.
Daniel told how two swastikas were drawn on a wall of the students union building the previous year, and how antisemitic graffiti saying “Kikes Out”, “Up Hamas”, “I hate Zionists”, and “Death 2 Zionism” has been found scratched or written inside toilets.
Daniel said: “Things have got bad since October 7. Because of the pro-Palestine movement, which can attract a certain virtue signalling crowd, it is almost as if using Nazi style Jewish stereotypes has become acceptable.
“There was a vote among students to cut ties with Tel Aviv university, but the university blocked the move because they believe in academic freedom.
'Kill Jews' written on the side of a bus stop shelter outside a Manchester University campus in late 2023 (Courtesy)[Missing Credit]
“People were making comments like ‘the Jews control everything’, and people refer to ‘greedy Jews’. They seem to think it is OK.”
Daniel said he was aware of a Jewish student wearing a kippah being warned by a member of staff not to enter an academic building during pro-Palestinian protests as it “wasn’t safe” for him.
A University of Manchester spokesperson told the BBC previous incidents of offensive graffiti on campus were removed promptly, with involvement from police.
Toilet graffiti (Courtesy)[Missing Credit]
They said the university took antisemitism "extremely seriously" and investigated it, and that the university has worked closely with civic and faith leaders to promote dialogue and understanding between communities.
They added: "We are working with Jewish students, staff and community representatives to strengthen our response to antisemitism.
"There is however more to do, and we are working with the Antisemitism Policy Trust and other universities to share learning, identify effective practice and strengthen our collective response to antisemitism."
Daniel added: “I do think the university is trying to tackle the issue, but it is not straight forward because obviously they have free speech policies.”
There are about 9,000 Jewish students in the UK.
The BBC spoke to students at more than 10 universities in England and Wales who reported they had faced hostility, and warned of a "culture of antisemitism" on campuses.
Jewish Cardiff University student Oliver, 21, described his first week on campus in 2023 as "terrifying", because it had coincided with the October 7 attacks.
Like many campuses across the UK, Cardiff University has seen pro-Palestine protests in recent years and Oliver said he believed some behaviour he witnessed crossed the line from criticism of Israel into antisemitism.
"That first year was absolutely terrifying," he said.
"You go home and think, 'do I carry on? Do I try to go to the next day?'"
Oliver said he stopped speaking Hebrew outside his home, and hid his Star of David necklace when on campus.
Over the following three years, Oliver described the antisemitic abuse he experienced at university as "relentless".
"I've been in clubs [or] just wandering around the uni and you hear these conversations and you see pamphlets being handed around where it's literally saying that your belief and your history is fake," he said.
"I've been at house parties where, when someone's found out I'm Jewish, they started calling me Netanyahu behind my back.
"Like you found out my religion and you've decided I'm a bad person."
Cardiff University said it was sorry that "any student felt unsafe" on campus and that it adopts a "zero-tolerance approach to harassment and discrimination of all kinds".
It said there was no place for antisemitism or hatred at the university and they have "robust procedures" in place for investigating allegations of antisemitism. Where it is found, the university said appropriate action would be taken.
It said it had reached out to the university's Jewish Society and reminded students to report incidents to them.
'Death 2 Zionism' scrawled at a University of Manchester toilet (Courtesy)[Missing Credit]
Universities UK acknowledged antisemitism is a growing challenge.
Chief executive, Vivienne Stern, said her organisation was committed to tackling campus antisemitism and was actively working with Jewish students to bring about change.
She said: "I think that Jewish students should be able to wear signs that they are Jewish.
"They should be able to wear their Star of David necklace or their kippah, and they should be able to celebrate Jewish life."
The president of Swansea University's Jewish Society said she had to alert local counter-terrorism officers when organising routine activities for the society.
She said: "I don't think anyone running, say, the Manga [Japanese comic books] Society has to consider whether there's a hate crime risk from having a stall.
"I'm a 20-year-old just going about university life. Getting calls from the police to tell me there isn't a terrorism risk isn't a normal experience."
Swansea University said it supports students through dedicated wellbeing, academic and faith services, and is maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and discrimination.
Lloyd, a student at Bangor University said he felt vulnerable when he moved there last last year and witnessed students chanting "you're a Jew, Jew, Jew" at another student.
Lloyd said it was handled "really well" when he raised it with the society responsible.
Bu he said incidents like this could leave Jewish students feeling unsure about how and when to challenge antisemitic behaviour.
"I'm lucky. I'm a big guy, and I don't feel particularly scared for my physical safety," he said.
"[But] it's enough to make me very hesitant, most of the time, to say that I'm Jewish."
Bangor University said it had a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and discrimination, and any formal complaints would be thoroughly investigated.
A recent survey of 1,000 students commissioned by the Union of Jewish Students, conducted by JL Partners between January and February 2026, said Jewish students were being "isolated by their peers" because of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The report also called for new enforceable standards for how universities investigate and punish hate crime.
Universities UK, which represents more than 140 higher education institutions, said universities were working to improve support, reporting and campus safety for Jewish students.
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