Student protests in Paris and Brussels
French police have intervened to break up a pro-Palestinian student encampment in Paris, signaling an extension of protests on US campuses to Europe. Protesters have vowed to continue occupying university buildings while demanding that the institutions condemn and sever ties with Israel. At the prestigious Sciences Po university, students have expressed increasingly strong pro-Palestinian sentiment, despite the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron in their midst.
Protests in the US and Europe
Protests on US campuses have spread from the East Coast to the West Coast, leading to arrests in Texas. In Brussels, public officials have called for a cease-fire in Gaza, expressing fear of becoming accomplices in a possible genocide. Demonstrations have shown support for the Palestinian cause, including commemorating the Carnation Revolution in Portugal.
Tensions and Cancellations in the US
In New York, tension has grown with new foci of student protest in solidarity with Palestine. At the University of Southern California, the cancellation of the 2024 graduation ceremony has been announced following arrests at a protest against Israel’s war on Gaza, affecting the year’s top student, Asna Tabassum.