Alexis Delafontaine / Photo credit: Victoria Valdivia / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
The candidate for the European elections on the France Insoumise list Rima Hassan was present on Friday in front of Science Po, during the pro-Palestinian mobilization organized by students. A situation criticized by the Minister of Higher Education. But for LFI, the objective is also to mobilize the student electorate before the European elections.
The surroundings of Sciences Po were evacuated by the police on Friday evening, while the numerous pro-Palestinian groups faced much smaller pro-Israeli groups. A situation strongly denounced by the Minister of Higher Education. For Sylvie Retailleau, the demands have no legitimacy to be made in this way. “The red lines have been crossed,” even declared the minister, who also directly attacked Rima Hassan on social networks. She speaks of “irresponsibility” after the call for an uprising by the candidate for the European elections, seventh on the list of La France insoumise. Rima Hassan also opened the ball for support visits from far-left elected officials to students who are blocking the university.
Try to mobilize students for the European elections
Rima Hassan is welcomed like a rockstar in front of the blockade of Sciences Po, accompanied by several deputies from France Insoumise. She tries to encourage the movement launched by pro-Palestinian students. “I believe that it is an extremely strong symbol. It is unprecedented since they are spaces of resonance for what is happening in our society,” declared the European candidate. “So it’s very, very important to listen to what’s happening and the messages that the students are carrying here.”
Officially, Rima Hassan comes to carry the students’ message, but in reality, France Insoumise has been trying for weeks to use the situation in Gaza to mobilize Muslim voters on June 9. An electorate very favorable to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, but which tends to abstain during the European elections. So, after several media provocations, France Insoumise is now trying to import the conflict via universities as in the United States, and other faculties outside Paris could follow suit.