Portugal’s attorney general has been asked to open a criminal investigation into alleged antisemitism, incitement and threats at the University of Coimbra after an Israeli-American-Portuguese doctoral student said he was targeted by hostile posters, Hezbollah flags, death threats and an alleged physical assault.
The case has drawn widespread attention in Portuguese media and centers on complaints filed by doctoral student Bar Harel, who says anti-Israel and antisemitic material appeared across several university faculties between July 2024 and May 2026.
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Antisemitic posters, Hezbollah flags and death threats against Bar Harel at the University of Coimbra in Portugal
Among the slogans cited in the complaint were “Zionists should carry a certificate proving they are human,” “Beware of Zionists,” “Attack your local Zionist” and “Death to the IDF.”
The complaint also alleges that Hezbollah flags were displayed on campus alongside images supporting Hamas and a poster describing Yahya Sinwar as a “hero,” which officials said could amount to glorification of a terrorist organization.
Harel said he was also subjected to death threats, including the statement, “Your family deserves a second Holocaust,” and was allegedly physically assaulted because he carried a small Israeli flag on his bag.
According to reports, the events ultimately led him to abandon his doctoral studies in computer engineering at the university.
Portugal’s Higher Education Ministry referred the case to Attorney General Amadeu Guerra, as well as to the central criminal investigation department and prosecutors in Coimbra, asking for a criminal investigation into possible offenses including discrimination, incitement to hatred and violence, threats, bodily harm and public glorification of a terrorist organization.
The referral followed an official letter sent by the Portuguese prime minister’s office to the Higher Education Ministry on May 22, after it received a complaint from citizens earlier that month.
The ministry said it does not currently know the identities of those responsible for the alleged acts and has no additional details beyond the material submitted in the complaints.
The move comes after Portugal’s ombudsman ruled in March 2026 that the University of Coimbra had failed to properly address Harel’s complaints.
The ombudsman found what it described as “substantial passivity,” saying the university had failed to take steps to prevent, reduce or resolve the situation. It also said the institution had threatened Harel with legal action if he made the matter public, conduct described as an infringement of his fundamental rights.
The University of Coimbra rejected the suggestion that it failed to assist the student, saying it provided access to “the competent services, including psychological support,” from the moment his complaints were received.
The university said the allegations were “general and did not include concrete details such as identification of those involved, exact locations or a time frame,” making it impossible to verify them or take action, despite repeated requests to Harel for additional information.
It also said the posters referred to in the complaint were not found on campus.
The university added that it had itself referred the matter to the relevant authorities and that officials were also informed of an allegation that Harel demanded 3 million euros in exchange for dropping legal proceedings against the institution. The university said it “immediately rejected” that demand.
The Israeli Embassy in Portugal welcomed the authorities’ decision to pursue the case.
“We are pleased to hear that the Portuguese authorities have decided to open an investigation into antisemitism at the University of Coimbra,” the embassy said in a Facebook post.
“We call on all authorities to continue the fight against antisemitism and also to investigate other cases that we, as an embassy, have already brought to their attention.”
Bar Harel
Harel said the evidence in the case “speaks for itself.”
“We have been in this battle for several years,” he said. “I am glad the authorities decided to open an investigation after numerous complaints that reached as far as the European Parliament and after an unprecedented decision on the continent by Portugal’s ombudsman.”
“We are fighting so that Israeli and Jewish students will no longer be targets of hatred in educational institutions and so that the law will be enforced equally,” he added.
Harel said he had received extensive legal assistance, including from the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists.