Students Take Action: United in Solidarity for Palestine at Prestigious Universities Worldwide

A group of pro-Palestinian students from prestigious universities in the United States, including Columbia University and Science Po in France, have occupied a new building at Sciences Po Paris in solidarity with Palestinians and to denounce the violence against Israeli civilians in Gaza. This action followed similar protests at American universities.

On a Thursday afternoon, around 50 students gathered outside the Science Po building, chanting slogans in support of Palestine and peacefully protesting. Inside the building, between 70 and 100 students demanded that Sciences Po publicly condemn Israel’s actions and end collaborations with institutions complicit in the oppression of the Palestinian people. They also called for an end to repression of pro-Palestinian voices on campus.

The occupation continued into the next day, with around 20 students outside the building and a dozen still inside. The police were not present as of morning, and the entrance doors were locked with no classes scheduled for the day. Political figures like Jean-Luc Mélenchon expressed admiration for the students’ actions and their resistance to potential pressure and brutality.

The student movement for Palestine is spreading to other universities as seen in a similar occupation at another campus in the city. The activists are connected with global solidarity movements, including those at American universities. The students are demanding accountability and justice for the Palestinian people and are willing to face consequences to make their voices heard.