Jewish students are “worried” to walk past Gaza demonstrations, a synagogue has claimed, as protests at Oxford and Cambridge universities enter their second day.

Yesterday, in a co-ordinated protest, groups of people erected tents at both universities to call for tougher action on Israel over the Gaza conflict.

The UK protestors have called for the two universities to divest assets from Israel, cut ties with Israeli academic institutions and fund Palestinian scholars.

Students named their sites “Liberated Zones”, mirroring Columbia University in the US which was stormed by riot police who made hundreds of arrests last week. 

A spokeswoman for the Oxford Jewish Centre told The Telegraph: “They [the students] are - wary is the wrong word - it makes them on edge. They feel worried going past wearing a kippah. It’s quite a worrying time.”

There are more than 700 Jewish students at Oxford University, according to the Union of Jewish Students.

Other top universities in Britain - including in London, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, Leeds, Warwick, Swansea and Bristol - have also seen similar protests.