Students block the entrance of the Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme (ESJ) de Lille on May 2, 2024, during a pro-Palestinian solidarity demonstration. The Institute of Political Studies in Lille is closed on Thursday, and access to the ESJ de Lille is blocked due to a mobilization in support of the Palestinian people. After closing the establishment for the morning, the Sciences Po Lille management announced the extension of this decision to the whole day following a “blocking attempt” by students “partly external” to Sciences Po. The exams scheduled for the day are postponed. The students who mobilized for the blockage later moved to the neighboring ESJ, where they blocked access, chanting slogans in support of Gaza and Palestine. The director of ESJ mentioned that such actions are rare at the institution and classes are cancelled for the day.
Among the demands of the students is the cancellation of a joint master’s degree program between Sciences Po Lille and Tel Aviv University. The Sciences Po management has expressed opposition to the boycott of Israeli universities, but also acknowledges the legitimacy of expressing solidarity with those affected by the conflict. A meeting is planned for Friday to discuss actions to be taken within the school and with partners.
A group of students demanding a ceasefire in Gaza also blocked access to a university site in Saint-Etienne on Thursday, where they were later evacuated by police without incident. Similar incidents of demonstrations and blockages have been taking place on various French university campuses in solidarity with Gaza, sometimes leading to police intervention. The Minister of Higher Education has called on university presidents to ensure public order using the full extent of their powers in response to these mobilizations.
The Minister emphasized the responsibility of university presidents to maintain order on campus and the limitation on police intervention without proper authority. She also mentioned disciplinary measures and temporary bans on student access to campus in case of disruptions. The focus is on guaranteeing the plurality of expressions and fostering debates within the law and respecting individuals and ideas. The Minister stated that universities should not take institutional positions in support of specific claims in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In response to student mobilization and questioning of partnerships with institutions supporting Israel, Sciences Po Paris organized an internal debate on the situation in the Middle East. The direction of Sciences Po defended the importance of dialogue and compromise in addressing such complex issues. The ongoing demonstrations and blockages reflect a broader trend of solidarity movements on university campuses, echoing similar events in the United States. The government, through the Minister of Higher Education, is urging university presidents to maintain order while upholding freedom of expression and diversity of opinions in academic settings.
