French university students join US-pro-Palestinian protests and occupy SciPo faculty

Francesco and Martin, 22, wave the Palestinian flag at the door of the historic headquarters of the Sciences Po faculty, in the center of Paris. it takes all day Blocked by trash cans, fences, bicycles or wooden pallets, They are covered with masks so that their faces cannot be seen and they shout slogans in support of Gaza. ,We are covered for protectionFor fear of disciplinary sanctions, or of being identified by the extreme right,” explains Francesco (not his real name).

Many young people are seen in the windows of the building with their hair covered with Palestinian scarves and their faces covered. they carry Banner where it appears The word “war” has been crossed out and “genocide” is written below it., “We demand justice, we wait for the police” or “Police everywhere, justice nowhere.” “When we want to condemn the genocide taking place in Gaza, there is always a repressive response,” says Mary, a young woman. palestinian

Till the neck.

Like Mary, Francesco or Martin, several hundred students have barricaded themselves in this headquarters of the University Center, Historical and symbolic for its combat character, to protest the “genocide in Gaza” and to show solidarity with students demonstrating at American universities. There are students who spent the night inside the building and two days ago police evacuated a group to another building on campus, which has multiple spaces.

Amanda, a Spanish student, has just left after spending the night inside. “They have threatened to expel us and some of us can’t afford that,” he says. They wear white masks and their hands are painted red. An orchestra, La Internationale, plays Bella Ciao and enlivens the atmosphere after moments of tension between students and some pro-Israel protesters. A man yells, “Free the hostages.” “We’re peaceful, we don’t want problems,” says Amanda.

The Police Prefect has ordered the evacuation of public roads. “We will be here for as long as it takes. It will be the management of the center or the police who will decide that we will not do this

” Martin explains. “Disciplinary sanctions have been imposed on some colleagues who demonstrated, and others have been threatened. That’s why we all stay covered, because that way we’re safe,” the young man explains. His friend Francesco adds: ”We want the French universities to be united from the Sorbonne to Nanterre. This is an international fight“, They say.

Yassin, also in front of the headquarters, condemned: “This is something that is going to spread. There is repression against everything related to political expression about Palestine and it is disturbing.” “SciSpo is a faculty that knows history well, it is not a militant protest. Here those who protest against genocide are made criminals while those who commit murder are presented as victims. These students are bullied“This is something that has never been seen in a democracy,” the man deplores.

Students of Columbia UniversityIn usathey carry day of occupation of premises In Protest against war in Gaza and have agitated extended by American universities, some of the most prestigious among them such as Harvard, Yale or Princeton, The student movement in France is militant and based on the legacy of May 68.

The management of the center has decided to close other locations and is going to meet with students, who are demanding that sanctions against the punished students be lifted, that the center condemn Israeli attacks in Gaza, that ” “to create a space for debate” where “what is happening can be analyzed not in an extremist way, but in a historical and technical way” and to examine SciEpo’s cooperation with Israeli universities.

The protests have already forced the political class to react. Higher Education MinisterSylvie Retailleau said: “Debate yes, blockade no”, Present at Friday’s rally were some representatives of the far-left party La Francia Insumisa, which has been demonstrating in favor of Palestine since the October 7 attacks. “You are the honor of this country,” said its leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon.