Protests over Poor Educational Facilities Intensify in France, Thousands Arrested

Protests by students over poor educational facilities, teacher shortages, and deteriorating school buildings in France have intensified. Thousands of students, teachers, and parents have taken to the streets across the country, while clashes between police and protesters have been reported in several locations. According to Reuters, protests in cities including Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, and Rennes saw demonstrators throw objects at police and erect roadblocks in some areas. Police used tear gas and other riot-control measures to disperse protesters. Fires were also reported in some locations, and property was damaged.

French authorities said several schools were damaged and had to be closed. The Justice Ministry said on October 5 that 24 schools had been burned or vandalized in violence linked to the protests. According to France’s Interior Ministry, 6,100 people had been arrested during the protests as of October 6, with a large proportion of them being minors. The Justice Ministry said that as of October 5, 5,060 people had been taken into custody, including 4,406 minors, or 87 percent of the total. Legal proceedings had been initiated against 1,802 people, including 1,483 minors and 319 adults. Fourteen people were also placed in judicial detention.

According to Amnesty International, the protests began in September at high schools in the suburbs of Paris. Students say severe teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating buildings, inadequate facilities, and long school hours are affecting their education. They are demanding the recruitment of more teachers, smaller class sizes, repairs to school buildings, and improved educational facilities. The protests later spread to cities across the country.

Student organizations said that around 1,800 high schools were affected by protests and blockades on October 6. Some schools remained closed because of the demonstrations, while others were shut for security reasons. The participation of teachers and parents alongside students has further expanded the movement.

Amnesty International has called on French authorities to exercise restraint in the use of force against protesters, particularly underage students, and to take steps to reduce tensions. In recent clashes, a 15-year-old student suffered severe injuries to his hand and lost it. An investigation is underway to determine whether the grenade used by police was picked up by the teenager himself or had fallen near him. Reuters reported that the French government said at least 715 police officers and 215 young people had been injured during the protests.

According to Reuters, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has instructed ministers to prepare proposals addressing the students’ demands. The government has pledged action on teacher shortages, the condition of school buildings, and problems within the education system.

The protests in France have therefore grown beyond school closures and student demonstrations, developing into a broader debate over education funding, public services, police conduct, and the future of the country’s youth.