Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to take to the streets of Paris as France's powerful trade unions join high school students in a wave of protests. The protests, marked by clashes with police, are calling for better conditions in high schools. Students have been blocking the entrances to hundreds of high schools for 15 to 17-year-olds since late September. They are complaining of missing teachers, overloaded timetables, dilapidated classrooms, and buildings that cannot cope with rising temperatures.
The protests have turned violent in some instances, with demonstrators lighting dustbin fires, destroying bus shelters, and clashing with riot police. The police have responded with batons, tear gas, and riot-control rounds. According to the government, 215 students and 715 police officers have been injured since the start of the movement. A 15-year-old student lost a hand on Monday after picking up a sting-ball grenade fired by riot officers, according to a police union source.
The unrest has erupted with just months to go before the 2027 election to choose a successor to centrist President Emmanuel Macron. More protests are expected across the country, with teaching disrupted at 589 of the country's 3,700 lycees and 32 universities, according to the education ministry and a student union. Authorities are expecting some 20,000 to 40,000 demonstrators in Paris.
The government has sought to address the grievances, while accusing the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party of being behind the movement. Veteran LFI presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon has strongly supported the protests, while calling for non-violent methods. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's office has called for "peaceful" gatherings, calling for a return to "a structured, legal and democratic form of opposition".
Several unions and rights groups have accused the police of using disproportionate force against the protesters. Amnesty International has said the French authorities should "put an end to the disproportionate police repression seen in recent days during student protests". The police have launched 10 internal investigations into allegations of brutality since the protests started, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said.
The head of the CGT labour union, Sophie Binet, has said its members would be there to "protect high-school students". The government is also pushing legislation to make those responsible for damaging public property pay for repairs themselves, instead of using public funds. Lecornu has said the draft law could allow compensation payments to be recovered from family allowances and housing benefits while ensuring a minimum income.
Since the start of the movement, 24 schools have been burned or ransacked, according to the education ministry. More than 5,000 people, 87 percent of them minors, have been arrested. Lecornu's office said 85 teaching staff have also been injured. Union leader Binet has said the government's proposed law would "end up targeting the most vulnerable families".
Key points
- The protests are calling for better conditions in high schools, including more teachers and renovated buildings.
- The protests have turned violent in some instances, with clashes between demonstrators and police.
- The government has accused the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party of being behind the movement.
