Dozens of students blocked access to the prestigious University of Political Sciences in Paris this Friday, April 26, to protest against the war in Gaza. Activists demand that the institution condemn the ongoing hostilities of the Israeli Army in the Palestinian enclave. Meanwhile, in the United States, where this wave of protests emerged last week, arrests against protesters are increasing and questions are growing about the methods used to repress the protests, such as the use of Tasers and tear gas.
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The University of Political Sciences of Paris echoes the wave of demonstrations in the United States against the war in the Gaza Strip.
We hope it catches on here in France, academia has a role to play
Shouting their support to the inhabitants of the besieged enclave, dozens of students from the French capital displayed Palestinian flags in the windows and over the entrance of the building. Others wore the black and white keffiyeh scarf, which has become an emblem of solidarity with Gaza.
“When we see what is happening in the United States, and now in Australia, we really hope that it catches on here in France, academia has a role to play,” said Hicham, 22, a Human Rights master's student. and humanitarian studies, at the prestigious Parisian university.
The protesters demand that their educational center condemn the actions of Israel, whose Army is hitting the Palestinian enclave by air and land, in the midst of the offensive that began more than six months ago in response to the surprise attack by Hamas.
“We are very happy that (students from) more and more universities are mobilizing,” said Zoe, 20, a master's student in public administration at Sciences Po.
“We are very happy that more and more universities are mobilizing (…) We hope this spreads to all universities and beyond. We will not give in until the genocide in Gaza ends,” said Zoe, 20, a master's student. in public administration from the University of Political Sciences of Paris.
On the night of Thursday, April 25, the Police evicted a first group of students who had blocked the French educational center, an act that has been condemned by left-wing political leaders in the country.
Methods used by the Police against protesters are questioned in the US
In the United States – where the wave of protests emerged last week, which includes the most prestigious universities such as Yale and Harvard – clashes between police and students broke out again on Thursday,
In the country, questions are growing about the methods used by the authorities to repress the protests, which include the use of Tasers and tear gas. Tools that activists say were used at Emory University in Atlanta, while officers dressed in riot gear and mounted on horses have swept through demonstrations at the University of Texas in Austin.
Additionally, on Thursday, prosecutors dropped charges against 46 of the 60 people detained at the University of Texas, citing “deficiencies in probable cause affidavits.”
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In Columbia, the epicenter of the protest movement, university officials are locked in a stalemate with students over the removal of a tent camp set up two weeks ago to protest the Israeli offensive.
The administration, which has already allowed an initial deadline to reach an agreement with the students to lapse, has given protesters until this Friday to reach an agreement to dissolve the demonstrations.
Other higher education centers in the country seem determined to prevent similar long-term demonstrations from taking hold, opting to work with the Police to suppress them quickly and, in some cases, with force.
In total, nearly 550 arrests have been made at major US universities in the past week in connection with the Gaza protests, according to a tally by the Reuters news agency. University officials have said demonstrations are often unauthorized and are calling on security forces to break them up.
With Reuters and local media
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