The British prime minister held a meeting in Downing Street Thursday with vice chancellors from universities including Cambridge, Leeds and Bristol.
“No one is saying that students should not be able to express the very human angst that many of us feel about the terrible suffering of war,” Sunak wrote in the Times ahead of the meeting.
“Universities have a profound duty to remain bastions of tolerance, where such debate takes place with respect for others — and where every student feels safe and at home, whatever their faith or background.”
Cabinet ministers Gillian Keegan, Michael Gove and Tom Tugendhat were also at the meeting, aimed at shaping upcoming government guidance on challenging antisemitism on campus.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Keegan urged university bosses to show “leadership” and “to de-escalate” tensions on campus over the war in Gaza. She warned that protests must not disrupt learning or be targeted at individuals.
“Freedom of speech can never become an excuse for a vocal and aggressive minority to intimidate or harass other people,” Sunak wrote.