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French Mayor Joins Student Protests Against Education Policies
· Confirmed
In Short: Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko joined student protests in Paris, supporting demands for better education conditions and criticizing the government's response.
Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko joined student protests in Paris on Tuesday, standing alongside demonstrators who are demanding better education conditions and criticizing the government's response to the ongoing unrest. The demonstrations, which began in September, have seen more than 6,800 people detained and 214 schools closed, according to French authorities.
More than 161,500 people marched across France on Tuesday, with 41,500 in Paris alone, according to Interior Ministry figures. The protests have become a political flashpoint ahead of France's presidential election next May, with far-left presidential hopeful Jean-Luc Mélenchon accusing the government of excessive force against young protesters.
Bagayoko, who was elected mayor of Saint-Denis in March, has become a prominent figure in the protests. He has been widely recognized for his actions, including stepping between students and police on October 6, which went viral on social media. He told Pedestrian TV, 'They had decided to charge and effectively go after the students, many of whom had shown no aggressive behavior whatsoever toward the police officers.'
The mayor of Saint-Denis, the most populous and stigmatized city in the Paris suburbs, said the students had his full support and that he would stand with them on the fifth day of strikes and demonstrations to 'shout' that 'the state must respond.' He welcomed the presence of Greta Thunberg, who joined the protests to support the struggle of students at Paul-Eluard High School.
The protests have put more pressure on a government trying to narrow a budget deficit as investor concerns about state finances grow, briefly pushing the yield on France’s 10-year bonds to a 24-year high over 5% last week and raising the likely cost of future borrowing. Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told CNews television, 'Our priority is to restore order.'
The demonstrations have also drawn mixed reactions from political figures. Right-wing National Rally leader Marine Le Pen has condemned violence by protesters and called for those responsible for damaging schools to pay for repairs. Meanwhile, Bagayoko has faced criticism from some right-wing politicians who accuse him of inciting violence and have called for his removal.
Footage of Bagayoko at the protests has featured regularly in social media and television news programs, to both applause and condemnation. He said, 'Solidarity, climate and social justice, convergence of struggles!' and added, 'They believe a victory could come from the working-class neighborhoods embodied by this atypical mayor.'
The protests have highlighted the growing tensions between protesters and law enforcement, with the Justice Ministry reporting that 5,060 people have been arrested since the protests began, with 87% of them minors. The demonstrations have also put more pressure on the government to address the demands for better classrooms and calls for accountability over how students have been treated.
Background
Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko once again joined protests in Paris on Tuesday, supporting students and teachers who are challenging education policies in France.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg joined French students protesting poor school conditions, as the demonstrations entered their fourth week.
What's confirmed
- X/ @ultras_antifaa On Tuesday, Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko once again joined protests in Paris in support of students and teachers.
- He was formally elected by the municipal council on March 21, succeeding Socialist Mayor Mathieu Hanotin.
What's still developing
- The 23-year-old Swedish activist appeared outside a high school in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, where students were demanding more teachers, better facilities and shorter school days, Reuters reported.
- He joined the demonstrations again to denounce the “unworthy” silence of the administration of President Emmanuel Macron.
- He spread his arms wide, shielding the boys, and screamed, “Stop!” That was Bally Bagayoko, the mayor of St.-Denis Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, one of Paris’ most populous and diverse suburbs, known for a basilica and the national stadium, as well as for high rates of poverty and crime.
- During a student demonstration in eastern Paris this month, a row of riot police officers pushed their shields against a group of young male protesters.