Dozens of students gathered near the Sorbonne University in Paris on Monday to demonstrate in support of the Palestinians, similar to similar demonstrations at US universities. About 100 demonstrators participated in the protest near the prestigious university, waving a giant Palestinian flag and chanting pro-Palestinian slogans in Gaza amid the ongoing Israeli offensive that followed the deadly Hamas incursion into southern Israel on October 7.

The police intervened to evacuate activists who had set up tents inside the university. About fifty demonstrators were removed from the university campus and then taken away in groups under security guard, days after a similar movement witnessed tensions at another prestigious university in the capital, Sciences Po University.

20-year-old Remi, a history and geography student, said, “We were about fifty people when the police arrived quickly to the campus. The operation was very violent, as about ten people were dragged to the ground without arrests.” He added, "They accompanied us to the exit and then made us take Saint-Jacques Street in groups."

Dozens of students gathered at noon in front of the Sorbonne University and inside the building where they set up tents, about 12 tents according to the university administration, between 20 and 30 according to one of the demonstrators.

The university administration indicated that “the stands were emptied at noon” and it was decided to close the Sorbonne University on Monday afternoon.

The Sorbonne University occupies a unique position at the heart of French public and intellectual life. Last week, President Emmanuel Macron chose it as the venue to deliver a speech about his vision for Europe ahead of the European Parliament elections in June.

Last week, protests broke out at another elite university in the French capital region, the Paris Institute of Political Studies known as Sciences Po, which counts Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal among its many famous alumni.

Tensions erupted on campus when pro-Palestinian students, inspired by Gaza solidarity camps on campuses in the United States, sought to occupy a bleacher.

On Friday, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrators confronted each other in a tense confrontation in the street outside the university. Riot police intervened to separate the two opposing groups.

The protest ended peacefully when students agreed to vacate the building late Friday. The head of the Sciences Po Institute said that an agreement had been reached with the students.