A massive wave of student protests has swept across France, starting in the Paris region and escalating into nationwide unrest. More than 1,000 high schools, nearly one in four across the country, have been affected by the movement. Approximately 400 schools have been closed, with many switching to online classes to protect pupils and teachers as the situation has transitioned into urban violence.
Students are protesting a range of grievances, including severe teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and dilapidated school buildings. Other complaints include unreasonable timetables, excessively long school hours, and classrooms that became overheated during recent heatwaves. Students have blocked school entrances with barricades and rubbish bins, stating that these actions are the only way to ensure the government listens to their demands for better conditions.
The protests have grown increasingly violent, with teenagers setting fire to rubbish bins and throwing projectiles at police, who have responded with batons and tear gas. These clashes have left more than 200 people wounded, including 305 police officers. Authorities have detained nearly 3,000 teenagers, with police reporting approximately 1,949 arrests. The movement has expanded to include university students and has even spread to the Belgian city of Liege.
In response to the crisis, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened an emergency cabinet meeting and ordered ministers to cancel official travel to focus on the demonstrations. While the government has called for a day of dialogue, it has also adopted a tougher stance and blamed the hard left for initiating the movement. The unrest comes at a sensitive time for the government, which recently announced a series of unpopular spending cuts.