French police on Monday broke up a demonstration at the Sorbonne University in Paris, where students demanded an end to Israel’s bombing of the Gaza Strip.
Israel launched a war against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the terrorists carried out a massacre in Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages.
Police evacuated dozens of demonstrators from the grounds of the Sorbonne University, where they had pitched tents. One of the students told the AFP news agency that around 50 people were participating in the so-called sit-in demonstration when the police arrived.
“The evacuation was quite brutal, about ten people were thrown to the ground, but no arrests were made,” said the student.
The educational authorities had earlier reported that students had erected 12 tents in the university yard and corridor, which caused exams to be cancelled. On the other hand, a student claimed that more than 20 tents were erected.
The university said no one had been able to enter the school since midday. Meanwhile, around 150 people protested outside the campus.
“Gaza, the Sorbonne is with you,” several protesters chanted. “Israel is a murderer,” shouted others.
“We are here at the request of Harvard and Columbia students,” said one of the Sorbonne students.
The protests at the Sorbonne followed several similar demonstrations at the Paris Institute of Political Science (“Sciences Po”), which is also one of France’s most prestigious universities. Police dispersed the protesters early Thursday morning, but students continued their sit-in the next day until school officials agreed to hold an internal debate soon, including on the right to protest.
Similar protests have also taken place at several prestigious universities in the USA. More here.
Tags: student protests Israels actions Gaza Strip spill France
