After weeks of tension, the administration of Sciences Po Paris announced an agreement with students mobilized for the Palestinian cause. The agreement includes organizing an internal debate and suspending disciplinary procedures against protesters. In response, the students have committed to no longer disrupting classes, exams, or any institution activities. The administration has also promised to hold an internal debate open to all communities at Sciences Po, addressing issues raised by protesters, such as the school’s partnerships supporting Israel. The suspension of disciplinary actions initiated since April 17 has also been declared.
The situation escalated in the afternoon, with pro-Israeli demonstrators arriving and verbally confronting the pro-Palestinian group. The police intervened to maintain order, separating the two groups without violence. While some pro-Palestinian students removed blockades, others continued to occupy the site, leading to the closure of several campus buildings by the administration. The protesters demand clear condemnation of Israel’s actions and an end to collaborations with entities complicit in the oppression of Palestinians. The tension on campus has attracted attention from various political figures and organizations.
The support for Palestinian rights at Sciences Po Paris has garnered attention from political figures such as Raphaël Glucksmann and Jean-Luc Mélenchon. While Glucksmann emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and debate, Mélenchon praises the student protesters for their courage and dignity. However, the President of CRIF has expressed concern about the disruptive effects of such movements on academic freedom and intellectual life. The call for solidarity with Palestinians has become a point of contention within the university community, highlighting the complexities of balancing academic freedom and political activism.
The mobilized students have received support from political figures like Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Rima Hassan, candidates for LFI in the upcoming European elections. While the students advocate for the Palestinian cause, they also express their opposition to the policies of the Israeli government. The minister of higher education has criticized the involvement of LFI and accused them of promoting anarchy on campuses for electoral gain. The situation at Sciences Po Paris mirrors the mobilization at American universities against the war in Gaza, with universities like Columbia experiencing similar protests and police interventions.
The demonstrations at Sciences Po Paris coincide with protests at American universities like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, where students are protesting the war in Gaza. Columbia University in New York has faced arrests and occupancies amid the ongoing protests. The situation highlights the global nature of the Palestinian solidarity movement and the challenges it poses to academic institutions. The clashes between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups at Sciences Po Paris reflect broader tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which continue to be a contentious issue across various academic institutions.
