Leeds Jewish students say they’re ‘terrified’ as student group likes post ‘glorifying’ Hamas

Jewish students in Leeds say they feel “terrified” after a student group liked an Instagram Post supposedly “glorifying” Hamas.

The campaign manager for Leeds Jewish Society (JSoc), Yossi, raised concerns about the post, which they feel contributes to a broader atmosphere of intimidation for Jewish students on campus.

According to The Times, the Leeds Students Against Apartheid Coalition (LSAAC) liked a post referring to “messages from the resistance”. The series of images showed Hamas fighters on a stage during an Israeli prisoner exchange. It described the “victory of the oppressed people” over “Nazi Zionism” and called Hamas members “dignified resistance fighters”.

Yossi told The Leeds Tab: “As Jewish students in Leeds, the atmosphere has, of course, been very tense since the October 7th terror attacks.

“Last year, we faced vandalism and the chaplains were forced into hiding. This year, while it is far less tense, we are faced with student groups glorifying terrorist organisations.”

The Instagram post liked by LSAAC

Yossi criticised the rhetoric of certain pro-Palestinian groups, calling it “profoundly alarming”, and pointed explicitly to expressions like “Nazi Zionism” and “Gaza is the graveyard of criminal Zionists”.

According to the student, these phrases “distort historical truths” and “demonise and delegitimise Jewish identity and connection to Israel.”

Yossi also said supporting Hamas’ ideology fuels antisemitism on campus.

They continued: “The Hamas Charter explicitly calls for the destruction of Israel and contains numerous antisemitic references.

“This ideology reflects a commitment to the annihilation of Jews, as evidenced by statements from Hamas officials.”

Concerns surrounding safety for Jewish students were also raised.

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“It is terrifying that those who endorse a genocidal terrorist organisation walk among us,” they said.

Yossi added that the language used in the Instagram post is “a direct threat to the majority of Jewish students, fostering an environment of hostility and fear.”

The investigation found student groups at other Russell Group universities have also praised terrorist “martyrs”, including the alleged architect of October 7th, with a number of societies liking antisemitic social media images.

The higher education regulator has intervened, warning universities that free speech does not include harassment of Jewish students, nor does it include support for terrorists.

A spokeswoman for the Office for Students, the independent regulator in England, said: “Universities and colleges should take steps to uphold free speech within the law for students, staff and visiting speakers. But this does not, and cannot, include discrimination against, or harassment of, Jewish students or staff, or any other conduct prohibited by law, including unlawful support for a proscribed organisation.”

She added that universities should have effective policies in place to prevent harassment.

A University of Leeds spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of all our students remains our priority and, alongside Leeds University Union, we continue to do all we can to maintain the cohesion of our whole University community.

“The university does not support any views or actions which seek to exclude or make Jewish, Muslim or any other people unwelcome on campus.”

LSAAC has not yet responded to requests for comment.