French police break up pro-Palestinian student protest

PARIS (AFP): French police on Monday broke up a student protest demanding an end to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza at one of the country’s best-known universities, an AFP journalist said.

Law enforcement evacuated dozens of demonstrators from the premises of the Sorbonne in Paris after they had set up tents inside.

“We were around 50 people when law enforcement forces came running into the courtyard,” said Remi, a 20-year-old history and geography student who had taken part in the sit-in.

“The evacuation was quite brutal with around 10 people dragged on the ground but no arrests,” said Remi, who did not give his surname for fear of reprisals.

Education authorities earlier said the students had set up 12 tents in the courtyard and hallway of the university, causing exams to be cancelled. One student said they had set up more than 20.

The university said it was closing as no one had been able to enter the university since noon.

Outside the campus, around 150 people had been protesting. “Gaza, Sorbonne is with you,” some chanted holding a huge Palestinian flag. “Israel murderer,” cried others.

“We’re here following the call from students at Harvard and Columbia,” said Sorbonne student and activist Lorelia Frejo, referring to similar pro-Palestinian sit-ins in the United States.

The protest at the Sorbonne comes after several such demonstrations at Sciences Po Paris, also one of France’s most prestigious universities.

Police cleared a protest at Sciences Po early on Thursday.

But protesters maintained their sit-in the next day before university management agreed to soon hold an internal debate including on the right to protest.

Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7 attacked southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of about 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel estimates that 129 hostages seized on October 7, out of the 253 taken, are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,488 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run besieged Palestinian territory.