Jewish students say they don’t feel safe, as MPs probe antisemitism at universities

OTTAWA — Jewish students from major Canadian universities appeared on Parliament Hill today to raise the alarm about a rise in antisemitism on their campuses amid the Israel-Hamas war.

They appeared alongside several Liberal MPs, including Anthony Housefather, who helped initiate a parliamentary committee study about antisemitism on campuses scheduled to begin Thursday.

Housefather cited concerns from Jewish students and faculty who say they are experiencing a sharp spike of antisemitic behaviour since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Students and pro-Palestinian activists have recently set up encampments at schools to protest Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Administrators and Jewish leaders have raised concerns about antisemitic chants and slogans being featured at the protests.

Claire Frankel, a student at McGill University, says she has heard slogans that “dehumanize Jews,” but believes many students are demonstrating “for the right reasons” and want to see a lasting peace.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press