Researchers record major spikes in vandalism, harassment and assault throughout the 2023-24 academic year.
New York, NY, September 16, 2024, … A total of 2,087 anti-Israel incidents of assault, vandalism, harassment, protests/actions and divestment resolutions were recorded on college and university campuses in the United States between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024. This represents a 477 percent increase in those same categories compared to the prior school year, according to a new ADL (Anti-Defamation League) report released today.
The annual campus report from the ADL Center on Extremism (COE) identified a record number of anti-Israel incidents, including 28 assaults. No assaults were recorded in 2022-2023 and only one in 2021-2022. ADL also recorded 1,418 protests and actions (including encampments), 360 instances of targeted verbal or written harassment, 201 instances of vandalism, and 80 BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) resolutions (71 that passed and 9 that were voted down). Some of the incidents counted in this report also referenced classic antisemitic tropes like purported Jewish wealth, greed and control over political affairs.
The newly released ADL report also identifies common rhetorical themes such as overt expressions of support for terrorism and violence. This includes the veneration of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis (Ansar Allah); misinformation and disinformation about October 7; removal of hostage fliers and disrupting events memorializing October 7.
“The antisemitic, anti-Zionist vitriol we’ve witnessed on campus is unlike anything we’ve seen in the past,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “Since the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel, the anti-Israel movement’s relentless harassment, vandalism, intimidations and violent physical assaults go way beyond the peaceful voicing of a political opinion. Administrators and faculty need to do much better this year to ensure a safe and truly inclusive environment for all students, regardless of religion, nationality, or political views, and they need to start now.”
Centers for Jewish life on campus were often targeted by anti-Israel activity over the course of the year; There were at least 73 incidents that directly impacted Hillels and Chabads. Hillels and Chabads were subject to numerous demands from activists, including calls for their schools to cut ties with both organizations. Protests outside the properties of these organizations and the events they hosted occurred on several campuses.
“The surge in incidents of all kinds has dramatically altered Campus life for Jewish students across the United States,” said Oren Segal, Vice President of the ADL Center on Extremism. “Escalation tactics, which increasingly normalize the narratives of terror groups and directly target Jewish communities on campus, must be countered with institutional efforts to protect students.”
Key findings include:
- Campus groups responsible for much of the recorded anti-Israel activity in this report include Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) and Dissenters.
- Anti-Israel incidents impacted over 360 campuses across 46 states and the District of Columbia. The top 10 campuses with the highest number of reported incidents are Columbia University (52), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (38), Harvard University (36), University of California, Berkeley (36), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (35), Rutgers University, New Brunswick (33), Stanford University (30), Cornell University (27), University of Washington (26) and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (25). Collectively, these institutions represent 16% of the total incidents.
- Students received support from off-campus organizations connected to the broader Palestine solidarity movement, such as American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Palestine Legal. They provide funding, trainings, legal assistance and other kinds of support. Independent donors and foundations also supported campus anti-Israel groups, including Resist, Inc, and the Emergent Fund.
Policy Recommendations
Administrators must respond immediately to conduct that deprives students of equal access to educational opportunities in violation of Title VI.
- University leaders must ensure that students and faculty are aware of their campuses’ codes of conduct, including policies and procedures for managing protests, demonstrations, postings and other speech activity.
- Universities must ensure free and full access to all campus buildings, spaces, events, and activities, both in policy and in effect.
- Colleges and universities must make clear that calling for schools to sever ties with Hillel and Chabad are antisemitic demands, antithetical to the institution’s values and will not be accommodated or considered.
- Colleges and universities must reaffirm their opposition to the BDS movement and explain to the campus community why that movement is harmful and antithetical to campus values and the principle of academic freedom.
Additionally, ADL is urging Congress to pass the following federal measures to protect Jewish students and fight the scourge of antisemitism: the Countering Antisemitism Act; the Antisemitism Awareness Act and the Protecting Students on Campus Act.
Finally, ADL strongly urges all states to develop and implement comprehensive, state-specific strategies to counter antisemitism, with a special focus on protecting Jewish students on college and university campuses. This includes convening university leaders to discuss campus safety and issue guidance reaffirming the limits of First Amendment protection for expressive activity and how campus rules, standards, policies, and faculty responsibilities must be enforced to ensure campus safety and support Jewish students and faculty.
Methodology
ADL researchers gathered incidents primarily using open-source research methods. Much of the data was compiled by monitoring publicly available information posted online. Other information came from incidents reported to ADL by students and faculty, and by reviewing student newspapers and other news media. Important insights were also gleaned from the work of other organizations, including the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC), Hillel International and AMCHA Initiative. In cases where ADL obtained information from the media or from third parties, researchers always sought out primary sources to substantiate the reporting.
The report does not distinguish between antisemitic anti-Israel incidents and general anti-Israel incidents (more information about antisemitic incidents specifically can be found in the annual ADL Audit of Antisemitic Incidents). Some incidents crossed the line from extreme anti-Israel rhetoric into antisemitism, though others did not.
Unlike reports in previous years, ADL did not tabulate the number of incidents involving sign-on statements, letters, petitions or general anti-Israel events like panels and webinars. The volume of these incidents was so high, their tabulation was removed from the scope of the report for practical reasons.
Due to the nature of incident reporting and data collection, incidents in this report are inherently undercounted.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org.