French School Protests

French High School Students Clash With Police Over Deteriorating School Conditions

High school students across France set fires and clashed with police in protest over school conditions, escalating a week of disruption. Some 625 people, mostly young, were detained by police, and 83 police officers were injured during the protests, according to France's interior minister Laurent Nunez. The number of students and teaching staff injured during these protests, including one student who lost part of his hand after setting off a firework, also surfaced allegedly showing two teachers being attacked by students. Protests began last week at some French schools, but escalated into a nationwide day of protests against the upcoming government budget. Students are angry about under-resourced and overstretched education sector, with students complaining about teachers not being replaced when they leave and schools in a state of serious disrepair. Some 400 schools have been affected nationwide by student blockades.

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