Campus fire spreads to Paris: Stir at Macron's alma mater

Students in Paris inspired by Gaza solidarity encampments at campuses in the US blocked access to a campus building at a prestigious French university Friday, prompting administrators to move all classes online. The pro-Palestinian protest at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, known as Sciences Po, came two days after police broke up a separate demonstration at the university's amphitheatre outside one of its Paris campuses.
On Friday, scores of protesters occupied a central campus building and dozens of others blocked its entrance with trash cans, wooden platforms and a bicycle. Protesters gathered at the building's windows chanted slogans and hung placards reading "We are all Palestinians", in defiance of administrators who students say called the police on their peers two days earlier. On Wednesday evening, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the amphitheatre. Most agreed to leave after discussions with management but a small group of students remained. They were removed by police later that night, according to local reports.
The university administration closed all its buildings and said it "strongly condemns these student actions which prevent the proper functioning of the institution." The university statement said about 60 protesters were inside the occupied building and that administrators were meeting with a student delegation "to try to find a way out of this situation".
Founded in 1871, the Sciences Po counts French Prez Emmanuel Macron and PM Gabriel Attal among its alumni.