Understanding and Combatting the Rise in Antisemitism and Anti-Muslim Hate
Get The Trolls Out! fights to reduce antisemitism, anti-Muslim hate and other forms of hate towards religious groups by working with partners across Europe to counter hate speech in the media and online.
A rise in antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate is creating a hostile environment
Community Security Trust (CST) is a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats. They recorded 2,699 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2023 that occurred on or after 7 October. CST recorded 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2023, the highest total ever reported to CST in a single calendar year. This is an increase of 147% from the 1,662 anti-Jewish hate incidents recorded by CST in 2022.
CST worry about the security of Jewish communities both offline and online.
CST recorded a 147% increase in antisemitic incidents in the UK after 7 October
Tell MAMA - Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks (MAMA) is a secure and reliable service that allows people from across England to report any form of Anti-Muslim abuse. They logged 1,432 anti-Muslim incidents between 7th October and 13th December – seven times the amount they received in the same period last year. Incidents are categorised as:
● 819 cases of online hate
● 387 cases of abusive behaviour
● 52 threats
● 49 assaults
● 46 acts of vandalism
● 40 cases of discrimination
● 28 cases of hate speech
● 11 examples of anti-Muslim literature
Tell MAMA has recorded 57.2% of documented cases of online hate and 27% of Abusive behaviour.
Tell Mama are concerned about the safety of Muslim communities offline and online.
Young people in universities are being impacted by the rise of hate
Our partner the European Union of Students (EUJS) recently reported on the rise in antisemitic incidents in Universities across Europe since the 7th October. EUJS, a Framework Partner of the European Commission, is the pluralistic, inclusive and non-partisan umbrella organisation of Jewish student unions in 36 countries across the continent.
At the University of Genova, a building was graffitied with “Beat the Zionist”. Picture courtesy: European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) report titled 'The Rise of Antisemitism at European Universities as a result of the October 7th Massacre.'
Infographic: European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) report titled 'The Rise of Antisemitism at European Universities as a result of the October 7th Massacre.'
EUJS categorised the incidents from their report as:
● Graffiti, posters or vandalism
● Attacks towards individuals
● Seminars, events, gatherings and conferences
● Public speaking
● Social media and other online platforms
EUJS received 113 reports from 66 universities located in 14 countries and found that Jewish students feel so unsafe at their universities they have stopped going to class.
In 2018, The Independent reported on the fact that one in three Muslim students were living in fear of Islamophobic attacks or abuse on campus – and women who wear traditional garments are most concerned for their safety. A National Union of Students (NUS) survey revealed that most students (79 per cent) who suffered abuse felt they had been targeted because of being Muslim.
On social media many young Jewish and Muslim people are sharing their stories of fear at this time. We urge everyone to support these young people at a time when it is needed more than ever.
What you can do to fight antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate
1. Be aware of hate
Old stereotypes and tropes about Jewish and Muslim people are repeated to reinforce hate and division in times of conflict
Common antisemitic stereotypes:
Common anti-Muslim stereotypes:
2. Arm yourself with knowledge
Is the information you hear in the media or online the truth or biased against a particular community or group?
Use getthetrollsout.org/resources to help you see misinformation better
3. Don’t amplify hate
Sharing hateful content helps it reach more people even if you’re sharing it to speak out against an article or social media post.
We advise:
Reporting hate speech to social media platforms to get it removed
Complaining to editors or media organisations directly about the stereotypes or hateful language found in articles
4. Fight hate and intolerance by supporting Get The Trolls Out!
Subscribe to the Get The Trolls Out! newsletter and social media for opportunities to support campaigns that reduce intolerance and create positive social change
