French police arrested students at Sorbonne University, Sciences Po, and Paris-Saclay University during a sit-in against a controversial anti-Semitism bill, according to aljazeera.com.
Officers moved in to break up demonstrations held at several major campuses across Paris and its outskirts. The protesters are opposing a new piece of legislation that could potentially outlaw criticism of Israel.
The Yadan law
Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on the legislation, known as the ‘Yadan law,’ on April 16. The bill takes its name from a pro-Israel French MP who sponsored the measure.
Aljazeera.com reported that the arrests occurred as students occupied university spaces to protest the bill's potential impact on free speech. The sit-ins targeted the primary academic hubs involved in the movement.
No official statement from the French government regarding the arrests was included in the report. The legislative process for the Yadan law remains on track for the mid-April vote.
