French Police Detain Hundreds as Nationwide High School Protests Escalate
Disruptions across French high schools have prompted widespread detentions and political friction as teenagers contest worsening learning conditions ahead of major national budget decisions.
French police detained 440 people across the country on Tuesday as high school student protests over deteriorating educational conditions escalated into confrontations with law enforcement. Most of those held were minors, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, who said about two-thirds were placed in formal police custody. The detentions followed another 164 arrests on Monday.
The unrest affected roughly 400 high schools out of the country's 3,700 institutions, the Education Ministry said. Protesters fully blocked access to 40 schools and attempted to blockade 44 more. The movement started in the Paris region last week before spreading to major cities including Lille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Rennes, Nantes and Marseille.
Students said they were protesting against overcrowded classrooms, staff shortages, dilapidated buildings and exhausting daily schedules. Outside several Paris institutions, students held signs objecting to long class hours that left little time for rest. In some locations, demonstrators set fire to trash containers and threw stones, bottles and fireworks at security cordons.
Police officers responded with batons and tear gas to disperse crowds. Nunez told French media that 48 law enforcement officers were hurt during the unrest, noting seven instances where protesters threw hydrochloric acid at police. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said at least 10 school employees were also injured, along with several students.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said any escalation around schools was irresponsible and endangered both staff and students. He accused opposition politicians of encouraging the unrest. Left-wing officials disputed that characterization, with local leaders and student unions accusing the government of neglecting public education and using excessive force against teenagers.
The student movement coincided with a wider public sector strike called by labor unions against government spending plans. Officials said the government will present its upcoming draft budget on Thursday, with ministers expected to address state spending levels and education resource allocations.
