Antisemitism Watch

Death to Zionism Protest in Basel Equates Zionism with Nazism
Campus Mockery of Charlie Kirk Assassination Anniversary Sparks Outrage
NYC Jewish Institutions Boost Security for High Holidays Amid Rising Incidents

🎧 Listen & Subscribe Here

Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

📝 Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

Last weekend, a "Free Palestine, Death to Zionism" protest in Basel, Switzerland, saw demonstrators defend Hamas as a "resistance organization" and call for the destruction of Israel, according to reporting reviewed for this episode. The rally coincided with the 129th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress. Shannon Seban, Executive Director of European Affairs for the Combat Antisemitism Movement, documented the event undercover and reported that one demonstrator told her, "Zionism is like fascism," calling it "an ideology that should be abolished in general," and equating it with Nazism. Seban noted that police seized batons and propaganda bearing Hamas symbols during the event. The Combat Antisemitism Movement reports that 2,962 antisemitic incidents were monitored across Europe in 2025, a nearly 50% rise from the previous year.

On U.S. campuses, anonymous social media posts advertised "lookalike" contests and "Kirkaversary" events on the one-year anniversary of Charlie Kirk's assassination, according to reporting from Libs of TikTok and Fox News Digital. These events were advertised on platforms like Fizz and YikYak at universities including Georgetown, the University of South Carolina, and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Georgetown University released a statement condemning the anonymous posts, calling their language "deeply inconsistent with our values" and stating they had no knowledge of any student organization planning such an event. A university spokesman for the University of South Carolina also stated they had no knowledge of such an event. Meanwhile, the University of Texas' College Democrats chapter invited Hasan Piker, generating significant campus outrage, as noted in reporting from the Daily Kickoff.

Jewish institutions in New York City are increasing security measures as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur approach, amid a rise in antisemitic incidents. According to NYPD data, Jews were targeted in 181 of the 325 hate crimes reported citywide in the first half of 2026. Senior Rabbi Joshua Davidson of Temple Emanu-El stated that congregants "should be able to worship without feeling that doing so is an act of bravery." Reporting from Fox News Digital highlights that the September 11th attacks fundamentally reshaped synagogue security into a permanent precondition for Jewish communal life, with Jewish communal institutions nationwide spending an estimated $1 billion annually on security, according to a study by Jewish Federations of North America. Threats against Jewish communities, including a terrorist attack on a Manchester synagogue and foiled plots, have led to major police security operations on holy days, as reported.

Globally, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, launched an international Task Force on Combating Antisemitism on September 10, 2026, with support from dozens of countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The initiative aims to coordinate policy and develop practical tools to address rising antisemitism, with Danon stating the UN "cannot turn a blind eye" and that words are insufficient. U.S. Representative Jeff Bartos described antisemitism as a "global pandemic." In local policy news, the North Miami Beach City Commission unanimously adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism on August 27, 2026, as a framework for municipal training and policy development. Mayor Michael Joseph, who sponsored the resolution, stated the IHRA definition provides a "clear and internationally-recognized framework for identifying antisemitism." In California, a new law, AB 715, enacted this year, aims to provide stronger protections against antisemitism and new teaching standards in Santa Cruz County classrooms, though opponents have raised concerns about free speech, according to Lookout Santa Cruz. Meanwhile, analysis by Professor Jane Kenway suggests Australia's government responses to discrimination may favor antisemitism policies over those addressing Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism.

In international policy developments, Israel's Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli is proposing entry bans for representatives of British organizations that promote boycotts against Israel, reporting indicates. Organizations recommended for a ban include Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam, Save the Children, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Palestine Action. Chikli cited their "extensive anti-Israel activity" and purported links to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. This follows coordinated announcements by Canada, the UK, and European countries imposing trade bans and economic sanctions on Israel.

Looking at community responses, major Jewish communal organizations are organizing a rally at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, across from UN headquarters, on September 23, according to The Times of Israel. The rally aims "to call on world leaders to act decisively to stop the growing tide of antisemitism." Organizers include the UJA-Federation of New York, the Anti-Defamation League, and the American Jewish Committee, among others. Additionally, activist and content creator Rudy Rochman is dedicated to strengthening Jewish identity and combating antisemitism, with his advocacy reportedly shaped by an antisemitic incident in London as a child.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

Follow Antisemitism Watch in your podcast app so you don’t miss the next update.
This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
- jewishinsider.com: https://jewishinsider.com/2026/09/hasan-piker-invitation-university-of-texas-college-dems/
- thecollegefix.com: https://www.thecollegefix.com/mockery-on-campus-lookalike-contests-target-late-charlie-kirk-on-anniversary-of-murder/
- haaretz.com: https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2026-09-10/ty-article-magazine/.premium/with-charlie-kirk-gone-a-battle-over-israel-is-fracturing-his-movement/000001a0-875b-d9a4-a3a7-9f7b8c2c0000
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-908254
- independentaustralia.net: https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/governments-anti-racism-response-exposes-a-glaring-double-standard,21540
- vinnews.com: https://vinnews.com/2026/09/10/israels-un-ambassador-launches-task-force-to-combat-antisemitism/
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-908226
- lookout.co: https://lookout.co/what-californias-new-antisemitism-law-means-for-santa-cruz-county-schools/story
- wsj.com: https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/antisemitism-books-literary-publishing-world-high-line-78267985
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-908178
- telegraph.co.uk: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/10/police-launch-major-security-operation-to-protect-jews/
- foxnews.com: https://www.foxnews.com/world/how-9-11-transformed-synagogue-security-new-reality-jewish-community
- ny1.com: https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2026/09/10/nyc-jewish-institutions-prepare-for-high-holy-days-amid-antisemitism-rise
- Times of Israel (Telegram): https://t.me/TheTimesOfIsrael2022/9095
- combatantisemitism.org: https://combatantisemitism.org/cam-news/remembering-september-11th-means-defending-historical-truth-refusing-to-legitimize-terrorism-and-rejecting-antisemitism/
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-908138
- arcmag.org: https://arcmag.org/kahane-nation/
- timesofisrael.com: https://www.timesofisrael.com/major-jewish-groups-announce-nyc-rally-against-antisemitism-during-un-general-assembly/
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/influencers-26/visionaries/article-907526