In Paris, police intervened at Sciences Po University to disperse student activists protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza. Witnessed by Reuters, officers entered buildings, removing around 70 protesters peacefully, contrasting with U.S. campus unrest.
Sciences Po has emerged as a focal point for French student protests against Israel’s war, although demonstrations elsewhere in France remained smaller.
The university, surrounded by heavy police presence, closed for the day amid the standoff. Student occupiers, including a student named Jack, defied university directives to vacate parts of the building.
Sciences Po sought a negotiated solution, but director Jean Basseres rebuffed protester demands to reassess ties with Israeli universities, prompting continued demonstrations.
The standoff escalated as at least one protester initiated a hunger strike, highlighting the depth of conviction among demonstrators.
Sciences Po’s protests mirrored those at other French universities, including Sciences Po Lyon and the Lille School of Journalism, where students blocked entrances in solidarity.
Samuel Lejoyeux, head of the Union of Jewish Students of France, noted the comparatively peaceful nature of French student protests, attributing it to a cultural inclination toward dialogue.
Despite tensions, he emphasized the French student body’s readiness for debate and discussion.
Amidst the discord, Sciences Po’s administration remains committed to seeking a resolution through dialogue, though police intervention underscored the urgency of addressing the standoff.
As protests persist and tensions simmer, the fate of academic ties with Israeli institutions remains a contentious issue at Sciences Po and beyond.
