More than 400 French schools remain closed amid student protests
More than 400 schools and colleges in France remained closed as protests over teacher shortages, poor buildings and inadequate materials continued. Officials reported injuries, arrests and property damage, while student representatives called for concrete responses and urged demonstrators to avoid violence.
More than 400 schools and colleges across France remained closed on Friday as student protests over education conditions continued. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said 735 teaching establishments were affected, about 30 per cent fewer than the previous day. He said three emergency-services personnel had been injured, compared with 31 the day before.
The protests began in Paris-region high schools over teacher shortages, deteriorating buildings and a lack of learning materials before spreading nationally. Some demonstrations became violent, with fires, clashes and damage reported at schools and other locations. A fire at the entrance of Lycee Mandela in Nantes was expected to keep the school closed until mid-October.
Officials said police had made about 2,000 arrests and that dozens of people, including 40 principals, had been injured. Authorities in Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes estimated damage in the region at at least €25 million, while the Ile-de-France region put its losses at about €7 million. Students have criticised what they describe as an excessively forceful police response.
Geffray said violent individuals were infiltrating student groups and taking control of the movement. He urged parents to keep children away from the streets because of the risks. Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the right to protest was inalienable but violence was unacceptable.
He also accused unnamed political actors of exploiting young people, while the left-wing La France Insoumise party rejected claims that it was instrumentalising the movement. After meeting student representatives and unions, student leaders renewed calls for concrete government action. They also appealed to protesters to avoid violence and vandalism.
Student unions have called for a nationwide protest on October 6 against police presence outside schools and what they describe as repression. The government faces continued pressure as ministers seek to address educational grievances while restoring order.
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