Key facts
- High school students are protesting for better-resourced schools.
- Demonstrations are driven by demands over education funding and the rising cost of living.
- Violence during the protests included looting and buildings being set on fire.
- More than 1,200 people were arrested following the protests.
- Four children were reportedly mutilated by explosive weapons used by police.
France is preparing for further mass protests on Saturday, with the government deploying 70,000 police and gendarmes nationwide amid fears of renewed violence and looting. High school students are protesting for better-resourced schools and increased education funding, while broader demonstrations address the rising cost of living. Recent unrest has seen looting, buildings set ablaze, and over 1,200 arrests. Legal representatives claim an unprecedented number of protesters are being held, and police face accusations of using explosive weapons that allegedly mutilated four children. The movement combines student demands with economic grievances, with tensions escalating into clashes in major cities like Paris and Marseille.