Is anti-extremism a threat to liberty on campus? In conversation with Michael Ben-Gad
2026-04-14 18:30 - 20:00 (Europe/London) | central London
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Extremism on campus is back in the headlines. In the long shadow of October 7, one recent survey found half of students had heard slogans glorifying Hamas, Hezbollah or other proscribed groups, while 65 per cent reported teaching disrupted by protests. Some students describe threats and abuse, and referrals to the Prevent counter-extremism programme have gone up by 50 per cent in two years. After the recent revelation that one in five students refuse to live with a Jewish peer, one parliamentarian argued that anti-Semitism in universities has been ‘normalised’.
The Henry Jackson Society has identified dozens of universities hosting events mourning the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and campuses are ‘now used as platforms to spread extremist narratives’. Meanwhile, the government plans tighter oversight – including clamping down on ‘divisive content’ and plans to ‘strengthen monitoring’ of non-violent extremism. A Campus Cohesion Charter will help manage external speakers and events, and will risk-check free speech for signs of crossing into unlawful activity or support for terrorism.
Yet such moves pose real moral dilemmas for those who believe in free speech. After all, setting clearer expectations around conduct, respect and shared values across university life can easily spill over into wider restrictions on speech. How should we define extremism and should we be open to new constraints? Where do the boundaries lie between resisting intolerance and tolerating all views and ideas? Is ‘extremism’ being weaponised to undermine our freedoms?
To help us navigate our way through the issues, we’ll be joined by Michael Ben-Gad – a lecturer at City St George’s, University of London – who himself faced protests by students, calling him a Nazi, threatening violence and demanding his dismissal. Join us to work out how we defend liberty in an age increasingly inclined to police ideas.
Doors open at 6.15pm, discussion starts at 6.30pm.
SPEAKER
Professor Michael Ben-Gad
City St George’s, University of London

CHAIR
Alastair Donald
convenor, Living Freedom
READINGS
The targeting of Israeli Professor Michael Ben-Gad: Britain’s academic freedom crisis
Professor Ian Pace, Jewish Chronicle, 21 November 2025
Students given stronger protections against extremism on campus
Department for Education and Bridget Phillipson MP, 8 March 2026
What the government’s Social Cohesion Action Plan means for universities and students
Jim Dickinson, WONKHE, 9 March 2026

Nova Exhibition London: private tour and talk
2026-05-26 18:00 - 20:00
On Sunday 10 May, thousands of people headed to the Extinguish Antisemitism rally at the gates of Downing Street. As Jewish Chronicle columnist Stephen Pollard said, this was ‘the moment for the silent majority to find its voice’ in response to recent hatred, intimidation and violence against the Jewish community.
The best of the speeches clarified the challenges – and cheered the crowd. And yet a nagging feeling remained: this gathering could – and should – have been much bigger. The fact it wasn’t reflects, to some extent, the ongoing confusion over the Israel–Palestine conflict, not least over the fateful terrorist attack on 7 October 2023 at the Nova Music Festival. On that day, 411 young people lost their lives – the starting point of this latest chapter of territorial and sectarian conflict.
Thankfully, a major new exhibition is opening, giving a brilliant opportunity to demystify the events of 7 October. Having received lots of media coverage on its tour of major cities – including New York, LA, Buenos Aires and Berlin – the Nova Music Festival Exhibition opens in London this month. This is less about the wider conflict than a human story of young people, of varying nationalities, coming together through music. Via sound, visuals and personal testimony, it reveals the stories behind the headlines. Designed as a space for open discussion and thinking critically, it doesn’t shy away from issues such as extremism, resilience, media literacy and community cohesion.
With the help of Nova’s exhibition team, Living Freedom has organised a special gallery tour to take place on Tuesday 26 May at 6pm. The tour will be followed by short talks on the experience of the Nova festival and how to respond by building solidarity against antisemitism.
WE HAVE ARRANGED FREE ENTRY FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS ON THIS TOUR. To come on the tour, you must register in advance using the form below. Details of the venue will be given out after registration.
This private tour is open to everyone aged 18 to 30 and to all alumni of Living Freedom Summer School.
In addition, we are delighted to welcome along paid subscribers to our Substack and all our generous supporters who have given financial support to scholarships programme for Living Freedom Summer School.
You can sign up as a paid or free subscriber to our Substack here.
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