Jewish student at Russell Group university has been sent Swastikas amid situation in Gaza

A student at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland has been sent Swastikas for being Jewish amid the situation in Gaza. The university has asked police to launch an investigation into the incident.

A spokesperson for the Russell Group university said it was not aware of the incident and “would urge the student to report this matter to us so it can be properly investigated.”

The claim was made by Lord Mann, former Labour MP, member of the House of Lords and the Government’s Independent Adviser on Antisemitism, the Belfast Telegraph reports.

He told the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster that young Jewish people were “keeping their heads down” and “masking their identity”. When asked for more detail about the situation with the Queen’s student, he told the BBC that he did not want “to end up identifying the person and the exact situation”.

He continued: “Why are they picking on vulnerable, isolated Jewish students to vent this hatred? Where’s the hatred coming from, and what are the systems for dealing with this? Why should a young Jewish person, a student here in Belfast, as a response to wearing a Jewish religious symbol around their neck, have more than one person responding with swastikas?”

“This is not normal behaviour, it is extremist behaviour and it is dangerous,” he added.

Students at universities across the UK have also been speaking out about the rise of Anti-Semitism on campus. One student tweeted: “Anti-semitism on campus is making my world smaller. I go less places alone. I wear different things. I am less proud of my identity. This can’t be right? Something has gone deeply wrong.”

Anti-semitism on campus is making my world smaller. I go less places alone. I wear different things. I am less proud of my identity.

This can’t be right? Something has gone deeply wrong.

— SW (@WagmanSam) November 1, 2023

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A spokesperson for Queen’s University Belfast said: “Queen’s recognises the events that have led to the harrowing loss of life in the Middle East and the distressing and complex nature of the current conflict. The university is mindful of our students and colleagues with family and other connections in the region and remains committed to supporting them at this difficult time.”

The university also said it had been in contact with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) “due to the seriousness of the allegations”, however, both Queen’s and the PSNI said no report had been made to police by a student.

“The university’s concern is this story is being presented as factual without any clear verification other than an anecdotal claim. Unchallenged suggestions that there is an ongoing problem at Queen’s are completely without foundation.”

“Queen’s University is committed to the care and wellbeing of all our students, and we reached out to those who may be affected by this conflict a number of weeks ago to offer our support, going further than most other universities, and we continue to encourage anyone with any concerns to contact us.

“We would urge the student, their representative, or anyone with any evidence of antisemitic behaviour, to contact the university and the police without delay.”

Featured image before edits via K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash.

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