French university students join US-led protests over Israel’s war in Gaza
Al Jazeera
Campus sit-ins upend Sciences Po and Sorbonne in Paris, drawing backlash from the state and riot police.
Names marked with an asterisk have been changed to protect identities.
Paris, France – Tensions are rising between the French state and students at top universities who are staging pro-Palestine protests amid Israel’s war on Gaza, inspired by their American counterparts.
Last week, students of the Sciences Po university in Paris occupied parts of the institution and blocked entry to a building before riot police descended on campus.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who like President Emmanuel Macron is among the university’s notable alumni, said his government “would not tolerate the actions of a dangerously acting minority trying to impose its rules and an ideology coming from North America”, following the three-day blockade at the prestigious school.
On Monday, undeterred by the threat of police action, antiwar protesters at the renowned Sorbonne University demonstrated on campus, setting up tents, chanting and waving the Palestinian flag.
