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In Paris, Sciences Po students end Gaza war protests after street fight

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University authorities agreed to drop all disciplinary proceedings against demonstrators.

Youths take part in the occupation of a street in front of the building of the Sciences Po University in support of Palestinians in Gaza, in Paris, on April 26, 2024. GONZALO FUENTES / REUTERS

Students at Sciences Po, one of France's most prestigious universities, called off protests over the Gaza war on Friday, April 26, after street scuffles between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups.

Administrators at the Institute of Political Studies, or Sciences Po, university in Paris acted to douse mounting tensions at the Paris establishment as demonstrations spread across American universities over the impact of the Gaza war.

Pro-Palestinian students have staged several days of sit-ins and protests at the 150-year-old university. Some blocked entrances to the university and tents were set up at the central courtyard for a protest camp.

Hundreds of students turned out Friday and police moved in when about 50 pro-Israeli demonstrators arrived shouting and scuffles started.

With exams scheduled to start soon, the university said the pro-Palestinian students had agreed to call off their action in return for an "internal debate" about the university's ties to Israel.

University authorities also agreed to drop all disciplinary proceedings against demonstrators, said a note sent to students and faculty by Jean Basseres, Sciences Po's administrator.

Sciences Po has a joint degree program with New York's Columbia University and several French students are taking part in protests at one of the US institutions most radicalized by protests. By Friday night, the Paris protests had eased and the street outside was calm, according to an AFP reporter.

Promise of an internal debate

Protest leaders, who had demanded a study of Sciences Po's partnerships with universities or institutions that support the Israeli government, said they were happy with the promise of an internal debate.

France is home to the world's largest Jewish population after Israel and the United States, as well as Europe's biggest Muslim community.

The war in Gaza began with an attack by Palestinian militants Hamas on Israel on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of around 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. In retaliation, Israel launched a military offensive that has killed at least 34,305 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

Le Monde with AFP

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