Grid in Paris

Pro-Palestine protest: students occupy university

Students occupied the university and proclaimed "We are all Palestinians".(Bild: KameraOne)

In protest against their university's stance on the Middle East conflict, students at the renowned French university Sciences Po in Paris have blockaded a building. On a banner, the students called on the university to cut its links with Israeli universities.

The university management received a delegation of protesting students on Friday in order to find a solution to the conflict. The university said it strongly condemned the students' actions. Several surrounding buildings also remained closed on Friday due to the protest. Courses were held online.

Main entrances blocked
Around 60 protesters were in the building in the heart of the French capital. The main entrances were blocked. Videos showed how one entrance was barricaded with garbage cans and bars.

Protests are increasing
There have also recently been pro-Palestinian protests at universities in the USA. Several elite universities have been cracking down on protests about the Gaza war for days. Students have been arrested for refusing to end unauthorized protests.

Some of the protesters are accused of anti-Semitism and trivializing the Islamist Hamas. Hamas triggered the Gaza war with its massacres and hostage-takings in Israel on October 7 last year.