Demonstrators face each other in rue Saint-Guillaume, in front of the Sciences Po Paris premises, against a backdrop of conflict between pro-Palestinians and pro-Israelis. The police are on site.
Slight tensions were noted this Friday, April 26 afternoon, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, near the Sciences Po premises, where pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators faced each other.
The establishment has been blocked since Thursday evening by activists defending the Palestinian cause. The tension rose a notch around 4 p.m. this Friday with the arrival of around fifty pro-Israel demonstrators shouting in particular “Liberate Sciences po” or “Liberate Gaza from Hamas”.
Some were masked and had motorcycle helmets. A stampede between supporters of the two camps occurred among the many journalists present. Opposite, the demonstrators who staged a “sit-in” in front of Sciences Po chanted “anti-fascist” slogans.
50 to 70 demonstrators entered Sciences Po on Thursday evening
These tensions led the police to intervene on site to put an end to any attempted scuffle.
The tension quickly subsided. Around 6:30 p.m., between 200 and 300 people were still in front of Sciences Po, in rue Saint-Guillaume (7th arrondissement). The demonstrators distributed physiological serum to each other, while the police chief decided to evacuate the public roads.
Previously, pro-Gaza students began removing trash that obstructed the entrance to the building. But activists continue to occupy the site and a sit-in was organized immediately on the pavement.
The movement began on Thursday, April 25 in the evening, after the gates of the historic building of the establishment closed at 9 p.m., when “50 to 70 students” were likely to be present in the Sciences Po building, according to young activists. or supporters of the “Palestine Sciences Po” committee, contacted by AFP on Friday morning.
Alexis Lalemant with AFP Journalist
