Sciences Po Remains Closed Amid Ongoing French Student Protests and Campus Blockades

The nationwide wave of student demonstrations in France has reached higher education, leading Sciences Po in Paris to suspend on-site activities after protestors erected a makeshift barrier of waste bins and bicycles. Police cleared the blockade, but university director Luis Vassy warned that reopening could provoke incidents, so the shutdown was extended beyond the initial day. Unlike the Sorbonne, which shifted to fully online teaching, Sciences Po maintains a mandatory attendance policy and intends to conduct upcoming exams as planned, with many students joining lectures remotely.

Campus life is still permeated by protest discourse, as students discuss the demands for better school funding and conditions. A master’s student identified only as Konsti described the atmosphere as historically significant and noted the tension he observed while visiting nearby protest sites. Another student, Manu, chose to stay home for safety and to protect his visa status, citing the widespread arrests linked to the demonstrations.