Key facts
- 164 people were arrested during student protests in France on Monday.
- 180 schools were affected by the demonstrations.
- 12 security forces members, 12 students, and three school staff were injured.
- Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned violence and warned against escalation.
- Student protests cite issues including overcrowded classes and teacher shortages.
- The Union Syndicale Lycéenne defended the protests as a legitimate response to conditions.
France's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has issued a warning against escalating student protests, stating that any further escalation would be "irresponsible." The demonstrations, which began last week in the Île-de-France region and have spread across the country, have led to the arrest of 164 people and affected 180 schools.
Lecornu condemned reported incidents of violence, including fireworks and fires near high schools, emphasizing that endangering students, staff, or police officers is unjustifiable. However, the Union Syndicale Lycéenne, a student union, defended the protests as a "legitimate response" to issues such as overcrowded classes, teacher shortages, dilapidated school buildings, and stress related to the Parcoursup university application platform.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that on Monday, 12 members of the security forces, 12 students, and three school staff sustained injuries. Nuñez characterized the protests not as typical demonstrations but as "urban violence," involving masked individuals equipped with fireworks and projectiles, aiming to confront security forces. He stated that the actions were "violence in its purest form" rather than a means of making demands.
The protests have involved blockading schools, vandalism, and fireworks being aimed at police. Incidents have been reported in various regions, including Alpes-Maritimes, Var, Marseille, Lille, and Sedan. One incident involved a police officer reportedly firing a grenade launcher, injuring a high school student, with investigations launched into such events.
Lecornu acknowledged that the difficulties faced by high schools must be heard and addressed, but reiterated that violence must be unequivocally condemned and perpetrators held accountable. He also accused the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party of encouraging the expansion of the movement. LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, however, blamed the government for ordering a "crackdown" and described the participating students as "harmless."