Student Protest: Columbia University Students Invoke Paris to Denounce Israeli Massacres in Gaza

In Paris, the pro-Palestinian student movement has taken root. On Thursday night, around 50 students from Columbia University in the US to Sciences Po, France gathered in support of Palestinians and denounced the massacre of Israeli civilians in Gaza. The students occupied a new building at Sciences Po Paris on Thursday afternoon, just a day after a police evacuation of another part of the establishment, similar to actions at American universities.

The occupation was decided in a general assembly and the students chanted for the honor of Palestine and those being murdered. The committee at Sciences Po Paris requested a clear condemnation of Israel’s actions, an end to collaborations with entities complicit in Palestinian oppression, and an end to repression of pro-Palestinian voices on campus. As of Friday, the students were still present at the scene, both inside and outside the building, with doors locked and no classes for the day. The police were not present in the morning.

Political figures such as Jean-Luc Mélenchon expressed admiration for the students and their actions. The movement was organized by the Palestinian Political Science Committee and spread to other universities in Paris. The student activists were taken out of the school by police, sparking political discussions and reactions. The president of Crif (Council of Jewish Institutions of France) expressed concern over the movement holding the campus hostage and impeding academic freedom.

The pro-Palestinian student movement at Sciences Po Paris has drawn attention and support from various sources, sparking discussions about the conflict in Gaza and