Jewish students 'deeply concerned' that university encampments will fuel ... trends now

Jewish students are 'deeply concerned' that university encampments will fuel a fresh wave of antisemitic attacks - as a series of sit-in protests at Oxbridge campuses enter a second day.

Students from Oxford and Cambridge have begun their second day of Gaza protests after setting up encampments in front of Britain's most prestigious universities.

Dozens of masked campaigners spent the night sleeping in tents outside the Pitts Rivers museum in Oxford and on the front lawn of King's College, Cambridge.

The sit-in rallies, which echo protests seen in the US which later saw violent students clashing with police, have sprung up at other UK universities including Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Sheffield and Newcastle over the last week.

But the demonstrations have sparked concern from the Jewish communities in Oxford and Cambridge, who now fear further 'intimidation' and 'harassment' by pro-Palestine protesters amid claims Jews are being 'vilified'. 

In a statement, the president of the Oxford Jewish Society said: 'Since the attacks in Israel on October 7, Jewish students across Oxford are facing a wave of intimidation and harassment. 

'This includes protest chants and signs which violate the University’s commitment to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances’ definition of antisemitism.

'Now, with the encampment seeking to mimic what has been seen across United States campuses, we are deeply concerned that there will be further escalation in the vilification of Jewish students in Oxford.'

The concern was echoed by Jewish students in Cambridge. where 60 tents have been pitched up.

As around 200 protestors held a rally chanting anti-Israel slogans on Monday, student Ari Vladimir, 19, unfurled an Israel flag and shouted support for the country.

In a shocking outburst, one protestor is seen ripping the flag from him and tossing it to the ground as the lone Jewish student was pushed and jostled by other activists.  

Mr Vladimir told MailOnline: 'I had to come here to express my support for Israel. If these people have a right to protest then so do I.

'As you saw, I didn't feel particularly welcome. I was pushed and shoved and felt quite scared. 

'But I wanted these people to know that the Jewish people will never be defeated and we stand with Israel.'

Mr Vladimir is a first year history student at Christ's College who comes from New York.

He said he was alone because many of his fellow Jewish students feel 'intimidated,' and were too scared to join him.

'A lot of Jewish students on campus feel quite scared,' he added. 'They are just keeping their heads down. But I had to take a stand.

'This encampment is going to make Jewish students even more concerned. How would you feel walking past people who are supporting Hamas?'

During the rally, protestors shouted: 'Israel is a terror state,' and 'From the river to the sea.'

No police were present at the encampment or rally, something Ari thinks would have 'made him feel safer' and given more protection to counter protestors.

Ari added: 'I have to walk through here all the time. I'm still recognisably Jewish and I would not feel safe'.

The comments come comes as the world continues to hold its breath after an Israeli tank brigade seized control of the Gaza Strip side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the latest offensive. 

The Israeli 401st Brigade entered the Rafah crossing and took 'operational control' of the crucial crossing for both aid and those able to flee into Egypt, officials said, adding this morning that they had 'eliminated approximately 20 terrorists'.

Footage circulating on social media showed an IDF tank trundling over the border, with another clip later appearing to show Israeli flags flying at the crossing point.

The overnight offensive came just hours after Israel roundly rejected a new ceasefire deal hashed out by Egyptian and Qatari negotiators that Hamas claimed it had backed. 

The latest development in the war is likely to add further fuel to the fire of student protesters in the UK. 

At Oxford's camp, named the 'liberated zone', students pinned up a board of six demands including calls to boycott Israeli genocide, stop banking with Barclays and help rebuild Gaza's education system.

Cambridge for Palestine said it will 'not move' from the encampment until the university agrees to four demands including disclosing financial ties with complicit organisations and protecting students at risk.

The protests seek to emulate those seen at American universities in recent weeks, where more than 130 college campuses have been targeted by pro-Palestine supporters.

These have resulted in growing disorder and unrest, with more than 2,000 arrests.

As Gaza protests continue to grow in the UK, the government has expressed 'serious' concerns they could escalate to violence, as witnessed in the US.

The encampments have been organised by groups Oxford Action for Palestine and Cambridge for Palestine, as well as several other smaller groups. 

The protests had been organised in coalition with each other.

Oxford University's Museum of Natural History remained open and apparently untroubled by the 25-strong encampment of tents on its front lawn.