Europe · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Riot Police Clash With French High School Protesters, Fires Disrupt Over 700 Schools
Riot police clashed with high school student protesters across France over crowded classes and underfunding. Hundreds of schools were closed or disrupted nationwide as demonstrations intensified.
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8 of 9 outlets skipped it: mandela high school damage estimated over €2m.
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France school protests escalate
French high school student protests spread across France and disrupted more than 700 schools on Friday as riot police clashed with protesters and fires burned in the streets. French justice minister Gerald Darmanin said the unrest had "gone from high-school student demonstrations to a public order disturbance" as the protests moved beyond Paris to cities including Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille. French Education Minister Édouard Geffray said on Friday that the movement had been "hijacked by non-students" after teachers told him "the people in front of me were not my students."
French authorities said at least 65 staff members were injured in the unrest, and BBC Verify authenticated two videos showing a man later identified as an officer being beaten near a school in Belfort. French regional government said Nelson Mandela high school in Nantes suffered more than €2m damage after fire destroyed its glass entrance and some areas inside the school.
Arrests, injuries, and clashes
French authorities said about 2,000 people had been taken into custody over the student protests on Thursday alone, as police and students clashed in places including Strasbourg and Pantin. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said he had asked prosecutors to hold parents liable for damage caused by their children and "pay for repairs" as the government sought to contain the unrest. A 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide after protests in Belfort, north-eastern France, where a police officer was targeted.
Lola, a 16-year-old protester in Rennes, said, "It makes us even angrier - the police have no right to hit us or use tear gas on us," describing police actions as making things worse. The education ministry said at least 65 staff members were injured in the unrest, while police published pictures of items they said they seized from demonstrators, including petrol bombs, an axe and so-called mortar fireworks.
Government, unions, and politics
French President Emmanuel Macron criticized elected officials for appearing to condone violence, saying, "In no case can those politically responsible (elected officials) – it’s a term that’s perhaps poorly chosen – legitimize violence," as the protests became a political flashpoint. France Unbowed (LFI) officials accused the government of "descending into conspiracy theories" as the government blamed LFI for the movement. Education union Solidaires Trade Union Federation said, "Let's not let them fire on our children," as it called for members to support the protesting students.
French Education Minister Édouard Geffray told BFMTV that at least 65 staff members, including 40 high school principals, have been injured since the start of the movement, while about 170 students have been wounded and over 100 high schools have suffered "severe damage." French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the unrest showed an "unbridled violence" shift from blockades to "urban violence" and said "No demand can justify such acts" as authorities scrambled to keep schools closed or disrupted.