Antisemitic Incidents on Campus by Year

Summary: The attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023 led to the largest-ever increase in antisemitic incidents on college campuses – from fewer than 300 incidents, to more than 1,800 in the 2023-2024 school year. BDS votes and commencement disruptions also skyrocketed, and anti-Israel encampments impacted more than 100 schools.

Total Incidents
1,853
Trend
541.2%
from previous year
Comparison with previous and next years
1564
more incidents than previous year
481
fewer incidents than next year

Incidents by Type

13.9%
Social Media/Email
258 Incidents
13.9% of all incidents this year
732.3%
from previous year
Social Media/Email
258 Incidents
13.9% of all incidents this year
732.3%
from previous year
2.2%
Article/Publication
40 Incidents
2.2% of all incidents this year
471.4%
from previous year
Article/Publication
40 Incidents
2.2% of all incidents this year
471.4%
from previous year
37.6%
Hate Speech
696 Incidents
37.6% of all incidents this year
521.4%
from previous year
Hate Speech
696 Incidents
37.6% of all incidents this year
521.4%
from previous year
31.7%
Vandalism/Graffiti
587 Incidents
31.7% of all incidents this year
414.9%
from previous year
Vandalism/Graffiti
587 Incidents
31.7% of all incidents this year
414.9%
from previous year
4.2%
Harassment
77 Incidents
4.2% of all incidents this year
234.8%
from previous year
Harassment
77 Incidents
4.2% of all incidents this year
234.8%
from previous year
2.7%
Assault
50 Incidents
2.7% of all incidents this year
2400%
from previous year
Assault
50 Incidents
2.7% of all incidents this year
2400%
from previous year
7.8%
Other
145 Incidents
7.8% of all incidents this year
Other
145 Incidents
7.8% of all incidents this year
Social Media/Email
13.9%
Article/Publication
2.2%
Hate Speech
37.6%
Vandalism/Graffiti
31.7%
Harassment
4.2%
Assault
2.7%
Other
7.8%

Every type of antisemitic incident increased dramatically during the 2023-2024 school year. Most concerning was the number of dangerous incidents, with 50 assaults recorded — more than every other previous year combined.

Also occurring during the 2023-2024 academic year:

  • BDS stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, and manifests on campus as non-binding student government votes that call on their universities to boycott products or divest from investments related to Israel. Practically, these votes often serve only to isolate Jewish students, as no college or university has ever implemented BDS measures.

    90

    BDS Votes

    After all but disappearing in previous years, 90 BDS votes were tracked in 2023-2024, the most ever recorded.

  • Anti-Israel legislation describes student government legislation that specifically targets the nation or people of Israel, in ways that do not include boycotts, divestment, or sanctions. Like BDS votes, Anti-Israel legislation has not impacted university policy, but deeply impacts the sense of belonging and safety for Jewish students on campus.

    50

    Anti-Israel Legislation

    Like BDS votes, anti-Israel legislation in student government skyrocketed to the highest levels on record in 2023-2024.

  • Disruptions to graduation and commencement ceremonies began occurring in the spring of 2024, often in association with anti-Israel encampments. While not every commencement disruption is antisemitic, those that do target Jewish students and their identities are included in this metric.

    9

    Commencement Disruptions

    Commencement and graduation ceremony disruptions were tracked for the first time in the spring of 2024, with nine incidents recorded.

     

  • The proliferation of anti-Israel encampments in April and May of 2024 had a negative impact on the well-being of many Jewish college students, with 40% of Jewish students reporting that they were forced to miss class time as a result of the encampments.

    113

    Encampments

    Anti-Israel encampments disrupted campus life at more than 100 colleges and universities in the spring of 2024, sparked by the first encampment at Columbia University in New York.

Hillel International has been tracking antisemitic incidents on U.S. and Canadian college and university campuses since the 2014-2015 academic year. Incidents are gathered from college and university bias reporting; from campus Hillels and Jewish student organizations; from the ReportCampusHate.org portal; and from a variety of other sources. All incidents are individually reviewed to verify their accuracy, identify their type, and remove duplicates.