6 hrs ago
French Students Block Schools as Arrests and Injuries Rise
High school students in France are blocking the entrances to some schools.
They say there are not enough teachers, classrooms are too crowded and school buildings are in poor condition.
Some students also report dirty facilities, uncomfortable temperatures and very long school days.
The protests began in Paris and spread to many other French cities.
Some demonstrations were peaceful, but others involved fires and objects thrown at police.
Officials said about 440 people, mostly children, were detained on Tuesday.
The education minister said 76 students and school personnel were injured.
Another report said at least 48 police and other law enforcement officials were injured.
The government says school problems should be addressed but opposes blockades and violence.
French high school students have blockaded schools nationwide over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, poor facilities and exhausting schedules.
The protests began in Paris last week and spread to at least 400 high schools, including schools in Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Rennes, Lille and Bordeaux.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said about 440 people, mostly minors, were detained during Tuesday’s protests, with roughly two-thirds placed in police custody.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray reported 76 injuries among students and personnel, while another report said at least 48 law enforcement officials were injured.
The demonstrations coincide with public-sector strikes and opposition to a proposed 2027 budget expected to include major spending cuts.
- Who
- French high school students, student unions, school personnel, police, government officials and France Unbowed politicians.
- What
- Students are demonstrating and blockading schools over staffing shortages, crowded classrooms, deteriorating facilities and demanding schedules; some protests have involved violence, injuries and detentions.
- Where
- Across France, including Paris, Saint-Denis, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Rennes, Lille and Bordeaux.
- When
- The protests began the previous week and continued nationwide on Wednesday, September 30; further nationwide action was planned for October 6.
- Why
- Students want better staffing, school buildings and classroom conditions. The protests also coincide with public-sector opposition to a proposed budget involving spending cuts.
Students and Their Supporters
Government and Critics
School conditions
Students and Their Supporters
Students say teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, poor sanitation, deteriorating buildings and extreme classroom temperatures make learning difficult or unsafe.
Government and Critics
The government acknowledges that high schools face difficulties and says those problems should be addressed.
Protest tactics
Students and Their Supporters
Students and unions support blockades and coordinated demonstrations to draw attention to long-standing education problems.
Government and Critics
Government officials say schools should remain open and condemn fires, thrown objects, alleged acid attacks and confrontations with police.
Political involvement
Students and Their Supporters
France Unbowed politicians have joined or supported the demonstrations, while student unions accuse the state of institutionalised repression.
Government and Critics
Government officials and other politicians accuse hard-left figures of exploiting or inflaming teenage anger; France Unbowed mayor Bally Bagayoko says remarks attributed to him about violence were taken out of context.
Key facts
- Schools affected
- At least 400 of France’s approximately 3,700 high schools were affected, according to the education minister.
- Detentions
- Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said about 440 people, mostly minors, were detained during Tuesday’s protests; roughly two-thirds were placed in police custody.
- Student and personnel injuries
- Education Minister Edouard Geffray reported 76 injuries among students and personnel since the demonstrations began.
- Law enforcement injuries
- A separate report said at least 48 law enforcement officials were injured during confrontations.
- Reported acid incidents
- Nunez said there were seven incidents involving the alleged throwing of hydrochloric acid at law enforcement officers.
- Budget context
- The proposed 2027 budget was expected to include spending cuts; one report valued proposed funding cuts at $61.3 billion.
- Planned action
- Student union leaders were mobilising for further nationwide protests on October 6.
Quotes
Emmanuel Macron
French president who criticized school blockades and arson.
“Across the country, there were 440 arrests. We do not yet have the full figures, but I am told that two-thirds resulted in people being placed in police custody”
wionews.com
“High schools are meant to be open and to share knowledge. They are not meant to be blockaded or to have trash cans set on fire”
wionews.com
Fadila
A 17-year-old student in Saint-Denis
“It’s always us … who are suffering when in Paris or in the countryside, they’re not in such a situation.”
theprint.in
“There are cockroaches and rats everywhere in the school. We can’t work in those conditions.”
theprint.in
Vincent Latour
Professor of British studies at Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès who described the movement’s expansion.
“The number of secondary schools involved has doubled over the last couple of days”
wionews.com
Sources
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