In Paris, the pro-Palestinian student movement has taken hold. On Thursday, April 25th to Friday, April 26th, around fifty students camped inside Sciences Po in support of Palestinians. They were joined by others and denounced the massacre of Israeli civilians in Gaza.
The decision to occupy a new building at Sciences Po Paris was made in a general assembly, with students chanting for the honor of Palestine and those being murdered. The committee at Sciences Po Paris demanded a clear condemnation of Israel’s actions, an end to collaborations with entities complicit in Palestinian oppression, and an end to repression of pro-Palestinian voices on campus.
As of Friday, the students were still present at the scene, both inside and outside the building, with doors locked and no classes for the day. The police were not present in the morning. Political figures such as Jean-Luc Mélenchon expressed admiration for the students and their actions.
The movement was organized by the Palestinian Political Science Committee and spread to other universities in Paris. The student activists were taken out of the school by police, sparking political discussions and reactions. The president of the Crif (Council of Jewish Institutions of France) expressed concern over the movement holding the campus hostage and impeding academic freedom.
Overall, the pro-Palestinian student movement at Sciences Po Paris has drawn attention and support from various sources, sparking discussions about the conflict in Gaza and the role of universities in political activism.
