Riot police clashed with demonstrators on Friday as student-led protests over educational standards and institutional conditions disrupted more than 700 schools across France. The demonstrations, which initially emerged in Paris a week prior, rapidly expanded to urban centers including Marseille, Nantes, Montpellier, Strasbourg, and Rennes.
Participants have raised concerns regarding overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, deteriorating facilities, and excessive school hours. The unrest has also been fueled by opposition to upcoming government budget reductions that are expected to impact school funding.
Street blockades involving burning debris, including overturned rubbish bins, have been established outside numerous campuses. In response to escalating tensions, security forces deployed tear gas and charged crowds in several locations, including Strasbourg and the Paris suburb of Pantin, where projectiles were thrown at officers.
Government officials reported that at least 65 staff members have sustained injuries during the widespread unrest. Significant property damage has also been recorded at multiple educational facilities, including the Nelson Mandela high school in Nantes, where a fire destroyed the glass entrance and interior sections, resulting in damages estimated at over two million euros.
Security forces seized various items from demonstrators, such as petrol bombs, an axe, and mortar fireworks. In Belfort, a 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide following an incident where a police officer was targeted and beaten near a high school.
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin stated that the situation had shifted from student demonstrations into general public order disturbances. He indicated that prosecutors had been instructed to pursue parents for financial liability regarding damages caused by minors.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray suggested that the movement had been infiltrated by outside agitators who were not enrolled students, noting that teachers had reported unfamiliar individuals among the crowds. Meanwhile, parents expressed anxiety regarding the safety of their children amidst the escalating violence, with many searching for family members near affected campuses.
The widespread disruptions arrive during a politically sensitive period for President Emmanuel Macron's administration, occurring just six months ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
