French police peacefully evacuated dozens of students from the prestigious Sciences Po university in Paris on Friday, after a demonstration in support of Palestine and against the university's ties to Israel. The protest came after similar pro-Palestinian student demonstrations were cleared by the police across various French campuses on Thursday.

Students at the central Sciences Po campus in Paris gathered with Palestinian flags and chanted slogans in solidarity with the people of Gaza, as Israel's military offensive against Hamas continues. The main building of Sciences Po, known for its notable alumni including French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, had been occupied since Thursday evening. As a result, the university administration has moved classes online.

Similar protests were also held by student groups at campuses in Lille, Reims, and Lyon. The prime minister's office reported that police successfully removed students from 23 French campuses on Thursday, all within a few hours. A statement from Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's office confirmed that a police presence would be maintained near Sciences Po to prevent any further blockades.

During the protests, demonstrators called for an investigation into the university's economic ties with Israel to ensure compliance with international law and made other demands. Sciences Po responded by arranging a meeting between administrator Jean Bassères and the occupying students in an attempt to find a solution that would allow exams to take place. However, after failing to reach a compromise, Bassères requested police intervention.

Sciences Po expressed regret over the "difficult decision" to involve the police, highlighting that multiple efforts at dialogue had been made to avoid such a situation. In the previous week, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators faced off outside Sciences Po, leading to police intervention to separate the groups. The protest ended peacefully when the pro-Palestinian students agreed to disperse. In response, the university agreed to suspend disciplinary proceedings against the protesters and to host a town hall discussion on the matter.

The situation at Sciences Po is indicative of the wider support for Palestine that has emerged on university campuses, not only in France but also in the United States. As Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza continues, student demonstrations demanding solidarity with the Palestinian people and scrutiny of institutional ties with Israel have been a recurring theme.