French Student Protests

Hundreds of Schools Blockaded Across France in Massive Wave of Student Protests

Students, teachers, and parents gathered in cities across France on Tuesday, leading to the biggest day of action in a wave of demonstrations demanding the government address understaffed classrooms and dilapidated classrooms. Protests began peacefully in Marseille, Nantes and Lyon, with the largest demonstration expected in Paris. The government responded with riot police, claiming the movement had now morphed into urban violence. The High School Students Union reported that 1,800 high schools were blocked or would close for the day. Prime Minister Sébien Lecornu has ordered his ministers to address the leading demands of the students, including ensuring absent teachers are replaced, reviewing the length of the 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the need for longer lunch breaks. The protests have put pressure on a government trying to reduce a growing budget deficit and have led to a surge in French borrowing costs.

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