A systematic campaign of antisemitic harassment, death threats, and physical intimidation at the historic University of Coimbra has forced an Israeli doctoral student to abandon his studies. Bar Harel, a computer engineering PhD candidate, became the target of relentless abuse from radical anti-Israel activists immediately following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel. After months of administrative inaction by university authorities, the Portuguese government intervened by launching a formal criminal investigation. This disturbing case highlights the growing danger faced by Jewish and Israeli scholars on European campuses where academic freedom is increasingly subverted by extremist ideologies.
The Rise of Hostility at Coimbra
The hostile environment at the University of Coimbra—one of the oldest and most prestigious academic institutions in Europe—escalated rapidly in late 2023. Bar Harel, who holds Israeli, American, and Portuguese citizenship, was subjected to aggressive protests inside university facilities within a week of the Hamas massacres. Activists quickly moved from vocal demonstrations to a systematic campaign of visual and verbal intimidation designed to isolate and dehumanize Israeli residents. Academic halls and common areas were defaced with swastikas, while flags representing the Iranian-backed terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah were openly displayed near university buildings.
As the academic year progressed, the campus became saturated with hundreds of highly offensive stickers and posters that targeted Zionists. These materials, which Harel painstakingly documented, openly glorified the architects of the October 7 massacres and employed classic antisemitic tropes. Slogans such as "The chosen people like to kill babies" and images depicting Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as a heroic figure became commonplace in public university spaces. Despite Harel's repeated complaints to the administration, the university did nothing to remove the materials or protect the doctoral student from the increasingly hostile atmosphere.
A Documented Campaign of Intimidation
- Aggressive rhetorical incitement targeted Harel directly with statements such as "Zionists should carry a certificate to prove they’re humans" and explicit death threats warning that his "family deserves a second Holocaust."
- Physical violence and doxxing accompanied the verbal abuse, culminating in Harel being physically assaulted on campus for carrying an Israeli flag on his bag and being targeted with flyers that urged local businesses to deny him food.
- To expose this systemic hostility, Harel published a detailed academic study titled "Stickers of Hate: Analysis of Antisemitism at the University of Coimbra," which analyzed hundreds of hate-filled posters found across the faculties of law, medicine, chemistry, and engineering.
Institutional Passivity and State Intervention
The reaction of the University of Coimbra to Harel's plight reflects a broader, highly troubling trend of institutional complacency regarding campus antisemitism. Rather than addressing the threats and removing the offensive materials, the university administration actively pressured Harel to remain silent, even threatening him with legal action if he publicized his experiences. This egregious cover-up was officially condemned in March 2026 by Portugal's national ombudsman, who ruled that the university had exhibited substantial passivity and violated Harel's fundamental rights. Detailed reporting on this institutional failure is available through The Jerusalem Post, which documented the administration's defensive stance and Harel's extensive evidence.
As academic authorities failed to act, the case escalated to the highest levels of the Portuguese government. Following a directive from the Prime Minister’s office, the Secretary of State for Higher Education formally requested Prosecutor General Amadeu Guerra to launch a criminal investigation. The case has now been referred to Portugal’s Central Department of Criminal Investigation and Prosecution, targeting offenses such as discrimination, incitement to hatred, and the public glorification of terrorist organizations. This significant legal step, as reported by the Combat Antisemitism Movement, represents a crucial milestone in holding academic institutions accountable for harboring extremist networks.
The Broader Danger of Academic Subversion
The campaign that forced Bar Harel to abandon his computer engineering doctoral studies is not an isolated incident, but rather a symptom of a systemic crisis across Western academia. Radical movements on campuses have increasingly abandoned legitimate political debate in favor of aggressive, eliminationist campaigns that seek to drive Jewish and Israeli scholars out of public life. By glorifying designated terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, these activists seek to normalize extremist violence under the guise of human rights advocacy. The subversion of prestigious institutions like the University of Coimbra demonstrates that without firm administrative and legal boundaries, campuses can quickly transform from centers of learning into hubs of radicalization.
Ultimately, the intervention of the Portuguese state underscores that the fight against antisemitism cannot be left to compromised university administrations alone. When universities choose to shield hate speech and threaten victims rather than uphold the rule of law, they compromise the very foundations of Western democratic society. Protecting Jewish and Israeli students is not merely a matter of campus policy; it is a fundamental test of a nation's commitment to basic human rights and personal security. Portugal's decision to pursue criminal charges against the perpetrators of this campaign serves as a vital model for other Western nations facing similar threats to their academic and social fabric.