Hundreds of schools have been closed and thousands of people arrested as riots have broken out in France, sparked from student protests nationwide against overcrowded classes, teacher shortages, and heavy workloads. High school and university students have attacked teachers, police officers, and a headteacher was doused in gasoline.
Per the Guardian, over 560 schools and educational establishments have faced disruptions due to the protests and riots, with 400 schools in total closing completely on Friday. French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said that 2,000 people have been arrested since the unrest began, per BBC. He added that it was unclear how many of the people arrested are actually students.
The violence has left 83 police officers wounded as of Wednesday, according to Deutsche Welle. A police station was also seen being set on fire.
Protests started last week, but they have quickly turned into riots as violence has broken out. Students have been demanding that there be more funding dedicated to the education sector.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez condemned what he referred to as an "escalation of violence" at schools around the nation. He slammed the "targeting of law enforcement officers, the throwing of projectiles, acts of violence, verbal abuse, attempted arson, and what amounts... to urban violence."
Students have complained that teachers are not in school and that the buildings where they are taught have been in disrepair. "There are cockroaches and rats everywhere in the school," one student said about the situation. The cities that have been hit the hardest by the riots include Paris, Bordeaux in the southwest, Lyon in the southeast, and the northern city of Lille. In some instances, police have used tear gas on those who have been rioting in the streets.
In one instance, a tear gas can projectile struck a student at close range, which knocked out several of his teeth. 356 schools have been impacted by the riots and protests. The activity also coincides with the government announcing spending cuts to education in 2027.
Senior Envoy to Europe at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Simone Rodan-Benzaquen told Fox News, "The students’ grievances about missing teachers and deteriorating schools were real at first. But dousing a principal in gasoline and attacking firefighters are acts of extreme violence. What makes this politically significant is the effort to turn frustration over schools into a much broader confrontation with the government."
On Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron told reporters, "High schools are meant to be open and to share knowledge. They are not meant to be blockaded or to have trash cans set on fire."
Per the Guardian, over 560 schools and educational establishments have faced disruptions due to the protests and riots, with 400 schools in total closing completely on Friday. French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said that 2,000 people have been arrested since the unrest began, per BBC. He added that it was unclear how many of the people arrested are actually students.
The violence has left 83 police officers wounded as of Wednesday, according to Deutsche Welle. A police station was also seen being set on fire.
Protests started last week, but they have quickly turned into riots as violence has broken out. Students have been demanding that there be more funding dedicated to the education sector.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez condemned what he referred to as an "escalation of violence" at schools around the nation. He slammed the "targeting of law enforcement officers, the throwing of projectiles, acts of violence, verbal abuse, attempted arson, and what amounts... to urban violence."
Students have complained that teachers are not in school and that the buildings where they are taught have been in disrepair. "There are cockroaches and rats everywhere in the school," one student said about the situation. The cities that have been hit the hardest by the riots include Paris, Bordeaux in the southwest, Lyon in the southeast, and the northern city of Lille. In some instances, police have used tear gas on those who have been rioting in the streets.
In one instance, a tear gas can projectile struck a student at close range, which knocked out several of his teeth. 356 schools have been impacted by the riots and protests. The activity also coincides with the government announcing spending cuts to education in 2027.
Senior Envoy to Europe at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Simone Rodan-Benzaquen told Fox News, "The students’ grievances about missing teachers and deteriorating schools were real at first. But dousing a principal in gasoline and attacking firefighters are acts of extreme violence. What makes this politically significant is the effort to turn frustration over schools into a much broader confrontation with the government."
On Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron told reporters, "High schools are meant to be open and to share knowledge. They are not meant to be blockaded or to have trash cans set on fire."
