PARIS: Protests over poor school facilities, teacher shortages and deteriorating school buildings intensified across France, with thousands of students, teachers and parents taking to the streets and clashes breaking out between protesters and police in several cities.
Demonstrations were reported in Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg and Rennes, where some protesters threw objects at police and erected roadblocks, according to Reuters. Police used tear gas and other riot-control equipment to disperse crowds. Fires were also reported at several locations, while some property was damaged.
The unrest has also disrupted schools across the country. France’s Justice Ministry said on Oct. 5 that protesters had burned or damaged 24 schools.
More than 6,000 arrested
The Interior Ministry said authorities had arrested 6,100 people by Oct. 6, with minors accounting for a large proportion of those detained.
The Justice Ministry said 5,060 people had been detained as of Oct. 5. Of those, 4,406, or 87%, were minors. Authorities had launched legal proceedings against 1,802 people, including 1,483 minors and 319 adults.
Fourteen people were placed in pretrial detention, the ministry said.
Why are students protesting?
According to Amnesty International, the protests began in September at high schools in suburbs around Paris before spreading to other parts of the country.
Students say teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating buildings, inadequate facilities and long school hours are affecting the quality of their education.
They are demanding the recruitment of more teachers, smaller class sizes, repairs to aging school buildings and improved educational facilities.
Meanwhile, student organisations said protests and school blockades on Oct. 6 affected about 1,800 high schools. Some schools remained closed because of demonstrations, while others shut down for security reasons.
The participation of teachers and parents has further expanded the movement, turning what began as student protests into a broader campaign over France’s education system.
Police tactics during the demonstrations have also drawn criticism.
Amnesty International has urged French authorities to exercise restraint, particularly when dealing with young protesters, and to take steps to reduce tensions.
In one recent incident, a 15-year-old student suffered severe injuries to his hand, resulting in its loss. Authorities are investigating whether the teenager picked up a grenade used by police or whether it landed near him.
The French government said at least 715 police officers and 215 young people had been injured during the protests, Reuters reported.
Government signals action
Amid the growing unrest, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has instructed ministers to prepare proposals addressing the students’ demands, Reuters reported.
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The government has also indicated that it will consider measures related to teacher shortages, the condition of school buildings and wider problems within the education system.
As a result, the protests have moved beyond school closures and student demonstrations. They have increasingly become part of a wider debate over education funding, public services, police conduct and the future of France’s young people.
