Six top UK universities practising 'extreme Palestine repression'

Some of the UK's most prestigious universities have systematically targeted staff and students who show support for Palestine, a new report has claimed.

Compiled by campaign group Social Innovators for Justice (SI4J), the 'UK University Repression League Table' ranking assessed 139 universities on five indicators, including disciplinary action, legal intimidation, and financial links to arms manufacturers and companies accused of complicity in Israel’s occupation.

The findings place University College London at the top with a 100 percent repression score, followed by Queen Mary University of London (92.5%), University of Bristol (86.3%), University of Sussex (84%), and the London School of Economics (78.9%).

Six universities scored above 75%, triggering high marks across all indicators.

SI4J said that out of the 108 universities studied, more than three-quarters engaged in some form of repressive activity. Elite institutions dominated the list, with 17 Russell Group members appearing in the top 20.

Ariana Alexander-Sefre, SI4J’s founder, said: "Universities are supposed to be spaces for critical thinking and moral leadership, not places where students are criminalised for opposing genocide or where education is funded by weapons manufacturers."

The report links high repression scores to strong financial interests, noting that universities with significant defence-sector ties were more likely to crack down on student activism.

The group is calling for a public inquiry into university partnerships with arms companies and entities on the BDS boycott list, as well as national protections for staff and students facing retaliation over their political views.

SI4J urged prospective students to consult the league table before making applications or accepting offers, and encouraged current students and staff to push for policy change within their institutions.

It comes as Haya Adam, a second-year law and international relations student at SOAS, was suspended for breaking the university's code of conduct, including for an allegation of harassment.

The allegation was over Adam's criticism of a SOAS Student Union co-president, stating that she "only served institutional oppression", as well as labelling her a "careerist", which was captured on video and placed on Instagram.

The New Arab has approached the six universities for comment, but received no response at the time of publication.