Last week, students from Paris’s esteemed Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) staged a protest in solidarity with Palestine during Israel’s war on Gaza. The protesters demanded that the institution condemn Israel’s actions, following similar demonstrations at universities and colleges in the United States.
On Friday, the students displayed Palestinian flags at windows and the building’s entrance while some wore the keffiyeh head scarf as a symbol of support for Gaza. Hicham, a 22-year-old master’s student in human rights and humanitarian studies at Sciences Po, emphasized the importance of academic communities taking a stand against Israel’s actions.
Zoe, a 20-year-old master’s student in public administration, expressed joy at the increasing mobilization of students at various universities and hoped for widespread support until the violence in Gaza ceases. However, Sciences Po officials did not respond to requests for comment, and police reportedly removed a group of students blocking access to the campus earlier in the week.
Left-wing politicians criticized the police action, supporting the students’ right to protest and calling for further solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The students at Sciences Po remained determined to continue their protest until they see an end to the violence in Gaza, hoping for broader mobilization across universities and beyond.