3 hrs ago
French Teenager Loses Hand as School Protests Spread Nationwide
Students across France are protesting because they say their schools lack teachers and have crowded classes and buildings in poor condition.
The protests began in September and spread to many parts of the country.
On Monday, a 15-year-old in Lens picked up a police grenade, according to local reporting, and it exploded, badly injuring his hand.
Hundreds of high schools were closed or partly closed.
Some demonstrations have also involved fires, damage and clashes with police.
Rights groups and others have criticized police tactics, while the government says restoring order is a priority.
The government says it will work on teacher staffing and school buildings.
It also plans a law that could make people responsible for damage pay for repairs.
A union leader criticized that proposal as likely to hurt vulnerable families.
A 15-year-old lost his hand in Lens on Monday after reportedly picking up a police stun or sting-ball grenade that exploded.
Student protests over teacher shortages, overcrowding, missed lessons and deteriorating school buildings have spread across France since September.
Reports put the number of fully or partly closed high schools at about 400 to 500 out of 3,700.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray said 24 schools had been burned or ransacked and 78 teaching staff injured; around 5,000 people had been arrested, mostly minors.
The government plans to address staffing and school-building problems and fast-track legislation making those responsible for property damage financially liable.
- Who
- French high-school students, including a 15-year-old injured in Lens; police, government officials and protest groups are also involved.
- What
- Nationwide school protests over conditions have disrupted classes and included clashes and property damage; a teenager lost his hand when a grenade exploded.
- Where
- Across France, including Lens, Paris, Lille and Toulouse.
- When
- The protests began in September; the injury and reported school closures occurred Monday, ahead of nationwide demonstrations planned for Tuesday.
- Why
- Students are protesting teacher shortages and absences, overcrowding, missed lessons, and deteriorating or unsuitable school buildings.
Critics and protesters
Government and authorities
Police conduct
Critics and protesters
The French Human Rights League and other rights groups accused police of disproportionate or heavy-handed tactics against protesters, many of them minors. The CGT union head described the government response as an unprecedented crackdown.
Government and authorities
The government said its priority was restoring order and accused hard-left activists of hijacking the movement. The articles do not provide a direct government answer to the rights groups' specific allegations.
Responsibility for property damage
Critics and protesters
CGT leader Sophie Binet called the proposed liability law populist and warned it could target vulnerable families.
Government and authorities
Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon said damage by teenagers raises questions of parental responsibility. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said payments could be recovered from family allowances and housing benefits while preserving a minimum income threshold.
Who is driving the unrest
Critics and protesters
France Unbowed denied encouraging violence and accused the government of politicising the issue and neglecting pupils' interests.
Government and authorities
The government accused hard-left activists of hijacking the protests; security officials voiced concern that far-left and anarchist groups could take over demonstrations.
Key facts
- High schools
- France has 3,700 high schools; reports said about 400 to 500 were fully or partly closed Monday.
- Injury
- A 15-year-old lost his hand in Lens after reportedly picking up a police grenade that exploded; an investigation was opened.
- Schools damaged
- Education Minister Edouard Geffray said 24 schools had been burned or ransacked.
- Teaching staff injured
- Geffray said 78 teaching staff had been injured since demonstrations began.
- Arrests
- Reports said around 5,000 people had been arrested, about 85% of them minors or teenagers.
- Planned response
- Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu set a timetable on teacher absences and called a meeting on school buildings.
- Proposed legislation
- The government said it would fast-track a bill to make those responsible for property damage, or their parents, financially liable.
Quotes
Nathalie Tehio
President of the French Human Rights League.
“When you have 14-, 15-, 16-year-olds who, at 9 am, are burning bus shelters or -- perhaps even more seriously -- the high school where they study, that raises the question of parental responsibility.”
NDTV
“We've been appalled by what we have seen over the past 10 days and by the unprecedented crackdown that the government has organised against the protests by high school students.”
telegraphindia.com
theprint.in
Sources
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