Key facts
- More than 400 people, mostly minors, were detained in France on Tuesday.
- The protests stem from issues including overcrowded classes and teacher shortages.
- At least 10 teachers, several students, and 48 law enforcement officials were injured.
- Around 400 schools were affected by the demonstrations.
- French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that 440 people were detained.
- Education Minister Édouard Geffray condemned reports of violence as indefensible.
More than 400 people, primarily minors, were detained across France on Tuesday as student protests over issues like overcrowded classes and teacher shortages escalated. The demonstrations, which began in Paris, saw teenagers blockading high schools for days. The French government condemned the violence while asserting the right to protest.
According to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, 440 people were detained, with about two-thirds taken into police custody. The protests have led to injuries among students, teachers, and law enforcement officials, with at least 10 teachers, several students, and 48 police officers injured. The education ministry reported that approximately 400 schools were affected.
Students participating in the protests cited issues such as overcrowded classes, with one 16-year-old student telling AFP that classes had 34 students, making them unfeasible. They stated their intention was to deliver a message about the perceived broken education system.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray condemned the violence as "indefensible" and stated that the right to demonstrate is a fundamental freedom that cannot excuse such actions. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had previously warned that any escalation would be "irresponsible," citing incidents of fireworks, fires, and violence near high schools.
Media reports indicated that protesters hurled projectiles at police, who responded with batons and tear gas. Ryad Rani, president of the student union Union Syndicale Lycéenne, accused the government of "repression" and criticized the police response as excessive, though Nuñez maintained it was "carried out in an extremely proportionate manner." The protests, which began last week in the Île-de-France region, coincided with nationwide walkouts by teachers, hospital staff, and civil servants protesting low wages and working conditions, which reportedly saw around 200,000 participants with few incidents.