Why did police arrests at the Sorbonne increase student unrest in Paris?

The police arrests at the Sorbonne on May 3, 1968, acted as a catalyst for escalating unrest by transforming a localized university dispute into a broader confrontation between students and the state.1

When the rector requested that police clear the university courtyard, the subsequent mass arrests—carried out by the CRS—provoked violent resistance from bystanders. This response was intensified by the police's use of tear gas and clubbings, as well as the rector’s decision to close the university, which further incited the student body.1

These actions fostered a sense of indignation, leading students to organize major rallies demanding the release of those detained and an end to the intimidating police presence in the Latin Quarter. The perceived brutality of the police, particularly during the "Night of the Barricades," ultimately generated significant public sympathy for the students and expanded the movement from a call for educational reform to a widespread challenge against authoritarian political structures, eventually triggering the largest general strike in French history.1