More than 400 schools and colleges in France were closed on Friday due to ongoing student protests. These protests, which began for educational reasons, have escalated into violence in some cases.
Reasons for the Protests
The French Minister of Education, Édouard Geffray, confirmed in a television program that more than 400 schools and educational institutions have been closed due to these unrests. The protests began over a shortage of teachers, poor conditions of school buildings, and lack of educational materials in Lycées (equivalent to American high schools) in the Paris area and quickly spread to other parts of the country.
Violence in the Protests
According to reports, about 2000 people have been arrested during these unrests, and many individuals, including 40 high school principals, have been injured. On Thursday, fires broke out in at least two high schools, and in one high school in the city of Marseille, teachers were accidentally contaminated with gasoline. Additionally, in the city of Strasbourg, a car was set on fire, and in Toulouse, riot police clashed with youths.
In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, officials reported that damages amounting to 25 million euros have occurred in this area alone.
Continuation of Protests and Reactions
On Friday, further clashes between protesting students and police were reported in various cities across the country, including Loire and Paris. Students also criticized the police's heavy-handed responses and wrote on placards: "Protest is a fundamental right."
Minister Geffray announced that he intends to meet with student representatives and unions on Friday, stating: "Today will be a day for dialogue." Furthermore, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has indicated that French domestic intelligence agencies informed the crisis meeting on Thursday that this movement was initiated by politicians from the leftist party "La France Insoumise" (LFI).
The experienced leader of LFI and 2027 presidential candidate, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has publicly supported the protests and urged students to use non-violent methods. He has called for respect for the demands of students, teachers, and educational staff.
Meanwhile, student unions have declared Tuesday, October 6, as a day for widespread protests, using the slogan "Police out of schools! No to the repression of student movements!"
Read more: Ethiopia closes its embassy in Eritrea and expels 10 Eritrean diplomats
