In order to protest against the return to his post of the school director, Mathias Vicherat, interviewed in December by the police in an investigation into domestic violence, and to demand his resignation, students blocked access to Sciences Po Paris, as well as that of other decentralized campuses of the school, Monday January 29 in the morning.
“Two Sciences Po Paris sites are blocked by around fifty students, out of a total of 9,000 students,” declared the management of the establishment, according to which the campuses of “Reims, Nancy, Poitiers, Le Havre are also blocked.” However, management affirms that “courses are still provided remotely”.
In front of the entrance to the main building of Sciences Po Paris, at 27 rue Saint-Guillaume, in the 7th arrondissement, trash cans, barriers, bicycles and pallets were piled up by around thirty students present, noted Agence France -Press.
On the walls of the building, posters reading “Vicherat resignation” were pasted. On a banner was written: “Protected professors, abandoned victims”, or even “Sciences Po, paradise of impunity”.
“Restore a broken climate of trust”
Mathias Vicherat and his ex-partner Anissa Bonnefont, who mutually accused each other of domestic violence, were taken into police custody on December 3 before being released the next day. A preliminary investigation was ordered by the Paris prosecutor’s office. The director had offered to step aside on December 11th.
Students returned to school on Monday after a period of exams and vacation. “We are here to protest against the end of the period of withdrawal of the director which lasted only during the holidays,” regretted Inês Fontenelle, of the Student Union, adding: “We hope that Mathias Vicherat will take his responsibilities and will resign in order to restore a climate of trust with the students that has been broken. »
A little further on, a sociology master’s student, who did not wish to give her identity, believes that “this return is an insult to the victims of sexist and sexual violence, to Sciences Po staff and to its student community.” Shortly after his arrival at the head of Science Po at the end of 2021, its director declared the fight against this violence as an “absolute priority”.
An exceptional institute council is planned for Tuesday noon, as well as an exceptional board of directors Wednesday afternoon, according to consistent sources.