It was a little after 1 p.m. this Friday, April 26, when, on rue Saint-Guillaume in Paris (7th arrondissement), people began to chant: “Rima, Rima, Sciences-po is with you!” » Rima Hassana Franco-Palestinian jurist that LFI hopes to have elected during the European in June, splits the group which cheers him to join in the pro-Palestinian chants.
A few minutes earlier, she called on X (formerly Twitter) for her supporters to converge in front of the institution for an “uprising”. “An uprising is people who are indignant about their responsibility,” she then clarified on the spot.
Surrounded by a hundred students and activists, she came to support the few dozen students who occupied the Institute of Political Studies since Thursday evening to demand, among other things, “the clear condemnation of Israel’s actions by Sciences-po” and “the end of collaborations” with all “institutions or entities” deemed complicit “in the systemic oppression of the Palestinian people”.
“For electoral purposes only”
At the same time, the Minister of Higher Education, Sylvie Retailleau, denounces the methods of blockers and Insoumise at the microphone of BFMTV. She condemns the “dangerous game solely for electoral purposes”, which Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s troops are said to be playing, while a conference between the tribune and Rima Hassan was held. banned by the prefecture last week in Lille.
VIDEO. Sciences-po Paris: dozens of pro-Palestinian students have been blocking a new building since Thursday evening
She thus calls for a difference between “the debate on serious and important subjects and the instrumentalization, the violence which do not represent what we carry in our higher and research establishments. »
Faced with this established blockade, the minister judges that the students have crossed “red lines”, while their demands echo the protests which are spreading on certain prestigious American campuses such as that of Columbia in New York. Moreover, on rue Saint-Guillaume, the slogans are chanted as much in English as in French.
“A genocide is underway, this is not Insoumise propaganda”
Still in front of Sciences-po, megaphone in hand, Rima Hassan, summoned by the police last week for “apology of terrorism”, congratulates the blocking students and considers that they are “the honor of France”, repeating the words of the audio message sent to them by Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the morning. And the young woman targets the management of Sciences-po which “is giving in to a discourse which makes us complicit in the genocide underway in Gaza”. Alongside him, LFI deputies take turns all day long to support the occupiers and address the crowd, in conjunction with students.
“In this country, there are double standards. A genocide is underway, it is not Insoumise propaganda, retorts the LFI president of the Finance Committee, Éric Coquerel, in response to criticism. Before targeting France’s “complicity” in the “ongoing genocide”.
“Netanyahu’s goal is to put an end to the Palestinian people. We support you, we are behind you! » he continues between an intervention by Aymeric Caron and Antoine Léaument, close to Jean-Luc Mélenchon. The day before, another Insoumis elected representative of the National Assembly, Jérôme Legavre, came to lend his support to the blocking students.
A method of action which also cleaves to the left. “That we show solidarity with the Palestinians (…), it is dignified and noble. Afterwards, in what atmosphere do we do it? Are we able to organize discussions with those who do not share the point of view? And so far, until proven otherwise, this is not the case, had estimated a few hours earlier, Raphaël Glucksmann, the head of the list of the Socialist Party and Place publique in the European elections. So, we have a problem and the management of Sciences-po has the right to decide to evacuate. »
