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French Student Protests Continue as Government Seeks Way Out of Crisis

9:10 AM ETConfirmed

World Desk

In Short: French student protests against poor educational conditions continue, with clashes between protesters and police leading to injuries and arrests.

French student protests against poor educational conditions and teacher shortages continued to intensify, with clashes between protesters and police leading to injuries and arrests.

On Tuesday, the scale of the student revolt became more pronounced, with protesters blocking schools and clashing with police in multiple cities, including Paris, Montpellier, Nantes, and Marseille.

The protests, which began last week, have seen more than 5,000 people arrested, with 87% of those being minors. A 15-year-old boy lost his hand and part of his lower arm after picking up a police dispersal grenade that detonated during a confrontation in Lens.

Education Minister Edouard Geffray acknowledged that the wave of protests had been declining in recent days but emphasized that the government would launch a platform for students to express their dissatisfaction.

Geffray also accused activists from the far-left of infiltrating the high school student movement and engaging in extreme violence, hijacking the protests from the students themselves.

The protests have led to the closure of 400 lycées, some due to damage sustained during the protests. Government officials reported that 735 of France's 3,700 schools had been disrupted last Friday.

In Paris, one large group of several hundred students began their day by attending a rally outside the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, which included a street blockade and sit-in before marching across the city under heavy police presence.

The protests come months ahead of an election to replace outgoing President Emmanuel Macron, and the Assembly Nationale is considering a vote for a “casseurs-payeurs” bill that would allow prosecutors to charge students and adults convicted of property damage up to €10,000 in restitution.

Protesters have vowed to continue their demonstrations until the government addresses their concerns. Sami Karen, 18, told Reuters, “We’re going to keep blocking until the government hears us.”

Background

What's confirmed

• At the same time, students have been protesting against teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating infrastructure, and what they regard as profound inequalities in educational opportunity.
• France Student Protests Continue in Earnest (5,000 Arrested Last Week) Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker President Emmanuel Macron of France was first elected in 2017.
• The 15-year-old had picked up a police dispersal grenade that detonated in the town of Lens, losing his hand and part of his lower arm, officials said Monday, Reuters reported, as the wave of school protests entered its third week, François-Xavier Lauch, prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said roughly 200 to 250 protesters had been hurling objects at police.
• “As long as they don’t listen to us, we won’t stop this fight.” In total, more than 5,000 people have been arrested since the protests began, with 87% of them being minors.
• Education Minister Edouard Geffray said the wave of protests had been declining in recent days and the government would launch a platform for students to express their dissatisfaction.
• Government officials said the protests have evolved into violence, including some schools being ransacked.
• A teenager had his hand blown off as high school protesters clashed with French police during chaotic riots, as students across the country continue to protest poor conditions and teacher shortages.
• "We’re going to keep blocking until the government hears us," Sami Karen, 18, told Reuters while demonstrating outside Charles de Foucauld high school in Paris.
• The protests come months ahead of an election to replace outgoing President Emmanuel Macron.
• More than 1,800 people are facing prosecution, including 1,483 minors, France’s Justice Ministry said.

What's still developing

• Five people were arrested for inciting racial hatred after shouting and chanting slogans calling for “intifada” were heard at what police described as a “spontaneous protest” outside the Board of Deputies in Camden on Wednesday.
• Around 100 pro-Palestine protesters marched from Lincoln’s Inn to Russell Square and chanted “free free Palestine” and “free the people, free the land” in London, with a group at the back of the march holding a banner reading: “Holocaust survivor descendants against Gaza genocide”.
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced early elections for November 29 after parliament rejected two government housing decrees amid mounting protests over the country’s housing crisis.
• The announcement comes after Friday’s defeat of two housing decrees drafted in response to protests sparked by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her Madrid home.
• The Local Europe AB Västmannagatan 43 113 25 Stockholm Sweden Blockades at French high schools were set to continue on Friday after a day of mounting tension and clashes with police as students staged protests over classroom conditions and a lack of resources.
• The protest follows the removal of rapper Macklemore, after he called for a "Free Palestine" and criticized Israel during an earlier show at MetLife Stadium.
• RELATED: Ed Sheeran tour continues on to Philadelphia as acts withdraw.
• Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a statement on X, according to a translation: "The occurrence of such an extremely brutal and heinous incident is a matter of profound regret, and as the Government of Japan, we have lodged a strong protest with the U.S. side."
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called an early election for November 29 on Monday, in a bid to strengthen his mandate after a fragmented parliament rejected the government's key housing decrees last week amid widespread protests.
• "We need to mobilize and win a much larger progressive majority in parliament, one that will allow us to overcome vested interests, deliver new social advances and continue transforming Spain." The premier also acknowledged having made mistakes and falling short of campaign promises.
• Riot police move in as students set fires and clash with officers during growing unrest.
• The Manipur Government has ordered the deployment of additional security forces to Namdilong in Imphal West district to disperse protesters enforcing an economic blockade along National Highway-2, even as questions continue to be raised over the government’s failure to restore unrestricted movement on National Highways blocked for years in Kangpokpi district.

Sources

• Fox Newslink
• Indybaylink
• Wwbllink
• Moderntokyotimeslink
• Standardlink
• BBClink
• Trtworldlink
• Thelocallink
• 6Abclink
• Newsweeklink
• Jpostlink
• Imphaltimeslink
• Deccanheraldlink
• WarpBeat — background on French Bishop Urges Peace Amid Violent Student Protests link
• WarpBeat — background on French School Protests Continue, Shutting Hundreds of Schools link
• MS NOW — video link