Key facts
- Over 400 schools in France will be closed or partially closed on Monday.
- Education minister Édouard Geffray stated 24 schools were burnt or ransacked.
- 78 education staff members have been injured during the protests.
- Thousands of teenagers protested last week against alleged underfunding of the education system.
- Over 5,000 arrests were made, mostly of minors.
- Authorities allege political agitators have infiltrated the protests.
More than 400 schools in France are scheduled to close or partially close on Monday as authorities brace for a second week of student protests. The closures are due to security conditions not being met, according to Education Minister Édouard Geffray. He reported that 24 schools have been damaged and 78 education staff members injured.
Last week, thousands of teenagers demonstrated and erected barricades to protest against what they described as underfunding and neglect of the education system. These protests led to clashes with riot police, hundreds of injuries, and over 5,000 arrests, primarily of minors. The demonstrations have presented President Emmanuel Macron's administration with a significant crisis.
Protest organizers have called for renewed demonstrations on Tuesday, asserting that the government has not provided concrete measures to address their grievances. Geffray stated that political agitators, particularly from the far left, have infiltrated the student movement and are responsible for extreme violence, posing a risk to staff and students. He noted that the targeting of education staff members was unprecedented.
Student grievances include overcrowded classrooms, dilapidated buildings, low teacher pay, staff absences, and an inequitable system. Other issues cited are a complex university application system and inadequate classroom conditions during heatwaves. Protesters have accused the state of disengaging from secondary education, pointing to problems like leaks, poor building maintenance, and a lack of staff. The government has acknowledged the legitimacy of some grievances but condemned the associated "urban violence." On Sunday, police detained a 16-year-old in connection with the assault of a teacher in La Ciotat.