Jewish LSE students felt so concerned during the protest that caused Isreali ambassador Tzipi Hotovely to be evacuated from the university they hid signs of their faith from view.
Visibly Jewish students put on hats to conceal their kipot as they walked past demonstrators, Jewish students present at the event have told the JC.
Those who attended the talk were also reportedly forced to walk through the protest as they left.
“Everyone’s a bit more wary, everyone’s a bit more scared. It didn’t go unnoticed,” said one Jewish student of the reaction to the event among Jews studying at LSE.
“People may be more uncomfortable outwardly being Jewish because now people will link that to Israel,” they added.
Jews at the university “definitely have a right to feel more scared and more anxious,” following the protest said another.
“Obviously when you’re a Jewish student and you’ve been to Israel you do feel slightly threatened,” they told the JC.
“You have to just live life and get on with it.”
LSE Jewish Society co-chairs Nina Bassalian and Jack Saideman told the JC they were available to support Jewish students.
They said neither the university nor the student union had contacted the society before the event despite the potential for protests.
But, they added, LSE had a vibrant Jewish student body and did not want prospective Jewish applicants to be put off from applying.
In a joint statement, LSE Jsoc and the Union of Jewish Students said they were "concerned for the welfare" of Jewish students.
"We support the right to protest peacefully, but violent threats on LSE campus are unacceptable," they said.
"Jewish students have the right to feel safe when attending an event on camous free of fear, harrasment, and threats. This type of behaviour is absolutely inexcusable and only serves to create hostility on campus. We are here to support any Jewish students who felt unsafe."
