Tear gas in Paris and Marseille as school protests grow
French school protests expand as over 250,000 demonstrators take to the streets. Police deploy tear gas and water cannon amid rising tensions.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Student protests across France have expanded to involve parents and universities.
- The government reports disruptions in 891 high schools with over 250,000 demonstrators.
- Prime Minister reports 715 police officers and 300 students and staff injured.
- France's largest union CGT plans further protests for Thursday.
A wave of high-school protests across France has escalated significantly, drawing hundreds of thousands of people into the streets as parents, university students, and labor unions join the student-led movement.
Crowds of teenagers marched from the Place de la République in Paris, demanding increased resources for schools and calling out what they described as heavy-handed police repression against the youth.
Tensions flared as riot police clashed with demonstrators in Lyon, deployed tear gas in Paris and Marseille, and used water cannons in Rennes. Although these clashes saw less severe violence than earlier demonstrations, the scale of the unrest continues to pressure the government.
"We are the grandparents of three students who are all mobilised. They have protested peacefully in front of their respective high schools in Paris in recent days, but they were still tear-gassed."
Alain, a 70-year-old protester
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
According to the French interior ministry, a total of 6,547 individuals have been detained or arrested by police since September 28. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned earlier violence, releasing figures showing that 215 students, 85 school staff, and 715 police officers have been injured since the protests began.
Originating in mid-September from local frustrations over overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating facilities in the northern Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, these protests have blossomed into a national crisis. The movement poses a significant political challenge to President Emmanuel Macron as he nears the end of his final term, highlighting deep-seated public discontent with the national education system.
The situation has been further inflamed by severe injuries reported during confrontations, including a 14-year-old student who suffered a fractured jaw and lost teeth, and a 15-year-old in Lens who lost his hand after an anti-encirclement grenade exploded near a school.
Despite attempts by Education Minister Édouard Geffray to appease students through online grievance portals and internal school discussions, the protests show no signs of stopping. France's largest union, the CGT, has announced plans for fresh demonstrations involving students and university pupils on Thursday.
Source: BBC World
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