More than 500 French schools disrupted amid student protests

Pupils have been blocking schools and demonstrating since the previous week over overcrowded classes, teacher shortages and heavy workloads. Fireworks were thrown at police during the protests, and vandalism was reported. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez characterised the protests as violence rather than an attempt to put forward demands. [1]

The movement began in the Paris region and spread to other parts of France on Monday. A secondary-school pupils’ union has called for a nationwide blockade of schools on Tuesday, 29 September. [1]

Update

About 400 pupils clashed with police near a secondary school in central Lille on Tuesday, ANP reported. Officers used tear gas to disperse them, according to La Voix du Nord, cited by ANP. [2]

The clashes came during a national protest day called by a French pupils’ union, which had urged blockades of secondary schools. Pupils have criticised a shortage of teachers, and ANP reported unrest linked to school protests in several French cities. [2]

In the Paris region, French media put the number of secondary schools under blockade at about 10 at the time of the report. [2]

Update

France’s Education Ministry said 40 demonstrators were arrested during school protests on Tuesday, 29 September. ANP reported that ten pupils and school staff were injured during actions around nearly 340 educational institutions. The ministry said protesters had blocked 40 schools, after a pupils’ union called for a blockade of all secondary schools. [3]

The protests began the previous week in the Paris region over teacher shortages, disrupted timetables and inadequate or missing facilities. Tuesday’s action coincided with demonstrations by public-sector unions against government policy and a loss of purchasing power. [3]

BFMTV said one of its crews was attacked near a school in the Paris region. French media reported that a firefighter was injured when an explosive was thrown in Bordeaux. The government has complained of violence and arson. [3]

Update

France’s Interior Ministry has reported at least 440 arrests during school protests, compared with a reported total of about 40 earlier on Tuesday. The protests followed complaints about teacher shortages, inadequate timetables and a lack of materials. [4]

Many of those arrested are minors, ANP reported. The ministry estimated that more than 200,000 people took part in the demonstrations. [4]

Update

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 625 people had been arrested during student protests, 185 more than on Tuesday. At least 356 educational institutions were involved on Wednesday, he said, an increase of 18 from the previous day. [5]

Nuñez also said the number of incidents and the level of violence had increased. The protests began last week over complaints including teacher shortages, disrupted timetables and inadequate facilities at overcrowded secondary schools. [5]

Nuñez expressed concern about violence against police and emergency workers and said damage was increasing. An ANP/AFP report said around 100 officers had been injured since Friday. [5]

Update

Fires were reported at two high schools in Nantes and at the entrance to a school in Rouen on Thursday as student protests over education funding and conditions continued across France. Both Nantes fires spread after bins were set alight. At Nelson Mandela high school, flames damaged the entrance hall. [6]

University students joined the demonstrations on Thursday, voicing concerns similar to school students’ complaints about staffing shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating buildings. At least 30 universities have reportedly been blockaded, including campuses in Rennes and Paris. [6]

Staff at Victor Hugo high school in Marseille were splashed with petrol as protesters reportedly filled containers. In Auchel, a headteacher suffered an ear injury from a wayward firework. Public transport services were halted in Marseille and Strasbourg amid vandalism and threats of violence; restricting protesters’ movements was also cited as a reason. [6]

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held a crisis meeting on Thursday, after which the government said the demonstrations had descended into urban violence. Broadcaster ICI reported more than 600 arrests by midday Thursday, excluding Paris. That is a separate figure from the 625 arrests reported on Wednesday. [6]

Update

More than 400 lycées remained closed across France on Friday, 2 October, Education Minister Édouard Geffray said. That is roughly one in nine of the country’s approximately 3,700 lycées. The closure figure measures schools shut, not the number of violent incidents. [13] [12]

The closures were intended to protect pupils and staff, the BBC reported. Geffray had said remote classes could be arranged where damage or blockades made it unsafe to admit pupils, with school leaders and education authorities deciding case by case. [7] [10]

In Nord and Pas-de-Calais, education officials reported 37 lycées closed on Friday. [11]

Geffray was also meeting representatives of pupil organisations on Friday and planned further talks with elected members of the national lycée life council. [11]

Update

More than 500 schools are facing disruption as students continue to protest over school conditions in France, BBC News reports. France’s education ministry says at least 65 staff members have been injured in the unrest. [19]

In Paris, BBC reporter James Waterhouse saw students throwing projectiles and police firing tear gas during clashes. [19]

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