Students at Sciences Po Toulouse participated in a pro-Palestinian rally on April 30, 2024. The students were calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and were demonstrating in their institution, along with protests and blockades at other institutes of political studies (IEPs) in Lyon, Rennes, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and Strasbourg. The protests followed actions taken the previous day at the Sorbonne in Paris. At the request of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, law enforcement quickly intervened to remove students who had set up tents in the prestigious university’s courtyard.
The pro-Gaza movement gained momentum following the establishment of a camp at Sciences Po Paris on April 24, which was later evacuated by the police. The movement, inspired by a similar initiative at Columbia University in New York, was mainly focused on IEPs and some universities. At a campus of Sciences Po Paris in Menton, students occupied the premises and displayed a Palestinian flag on the building’s facade. The campus director decided to close the facilities indefinitely and move classes online in response to the student’s actions.
Students at Menton urged Sciences Po to take a firm stance against discrimination and pressure faced by students, citing the International Court of Justice’s call to Israel to prevent potential acts of “genocide” and the UN’s involvement in international conflicts. At the Reims campus of Sciences Po, students were considering a potential new occupation of the facilities at the end of the week if a meeting scheduled with the interim administrator did not meet their expectations. The meeting, designed as a town hall-style debate, aimed to facilitate discussions between students, professors, researchers, and staff on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The town hall meeting was organized following negotiations between students and the administration at Sciences Po, with train tickets provided to selected students across the institute’s seven campuses to attend. The meeting was meant to provide a platform for students to ask questions and engage in dialogue about the conflict. However, students from Menton were excluded from the meeting due to their overnight occupation of the campus. The escalation of protests and occupations at various campuses reflected a growing movement of solidarity with the people of Gaza and a demand for action from academic institutions and international bodies.
The events at Sciences Po Toulouse and other campuses highlighted the divide between students calling for action on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the response from university administrations and government officials. The demonstrations underscored the importance of engaging young people in political activism and raising awareness about global conflicts. By occupying campuses and organizing rallies, students were able to draw attention to their cause and put pressure on decision-makers to address their concerns. The continuation of protests and potential future actions indicated a sustained effort by students to advocate for peace and justice in the region.
