France has closed approximately 400 of its 3,700 secondary schools due to ongoing student protests. Many schools have opted for online lessons as the unrest, which began over staffing, funding, and school conditions, continues to spread across the country. The protests have led to significant disruptions, with police prefects ordering school closures. Education Minister Edouard Geffray has urged parents to intervene, warning that students are putting themselves at risk by participating in the protests.
The protests have resulted in a substantial number of arrests and injuries. According to the Interior Ministry, 1,027 secondary schools were affected on Thursday, including 222 that were blockaded. Additionally, around 30 university campuses were blocked. On Thursday alone, 1,949 people were arrested, mainly in connection with violence, unlawful gatherings, and attacks on people in positions of authority. A total of 305 police officers, gendarmes, and firefighters were injured during Thursday's unrest.
The Education Minister reported that 170 pupils and 65 education staff have been hurt since the movement began. Furthermore, more than 100 secondary schools have suffered serious damage. The government has taken steps to address the situation, with Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin asking prosecutors to seek civil liability against parents whose children were responsible for vandalism. This move could potentially leave families liable for repairs.
Darmanin stated that around 90 percent of those detained were minors, while roughly a third of those arrested had been held in connection with violence against other people. He described those responsible as an "active and violent minority" and questioned whether all of them were secondary school students. The unrest has moved beyond a conventional student protest to become a matter of "public order," with authorities concerned about further violence over the weekend and during a national day of action scheduled for Tuesday.
The government has accused the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) of contributing to the radicalization of the movement and seeking to exploit the unrest. However, LFI coordinator Manuel Bompard rejected the accusation, urging the government "not to descend into conspiracy theories." The government's claims that LFI has orchestrated the unrest have not been independently established.
In a concession to the movement, the government has dropped a proposal to introduce registration fees for non-scholarship students in BTS vocational higher education courses and those in preparatory classes for entrance exams for France's elite universities. The planned charges had drawn criticism from student groups, trade unions, and parties on the left. Education Minister Geffray was due to meet secondary school organizations, parents' associations, education unions, and representatives of the national student council.
Student organizations are calling for protests to continue, with the movement now looking towards Tuesday's national day of action. The government is working to address the diverse range of local demands that have driven the protests. With no single national demand, the situation remains complex, and it is unclear how the protests will evolve in the coming days.
Key points
- Around 400 French secondary schools have been closed due to student protests.
- The protests have resulted in significant disruptions, with over 1,900 arrests and 305 injuries reported.
- The government has dropped a proposal to introduce registration fees for certain students in vocational higher education courses.
