France has suspended high school classes nationwide for the rest of the week as demonstrations over poor conditions in the country’s education system intensify.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the suspension on Tuesday, October 6, following clashes between protesters and riot police in several cities. Police used tear gas against demonstrators who blocked school entrances, while some protesters reportedly set fires and threw objects at officers.
Authorities estimated that about 250,000 people took part in demonstrations across France, while organisers put the figure closer to 500,000. The High School Students Union said nearly 2,000 high schools were either blockaded or closed.
The protesters are demanding urgent improvements to the education system, including more teachers, reduced classroom overcrowding, better-maintained school buildings, longer lunch breaks and changes to school hours.
Demonstrations were reported in Paris, Marseille, Nantes, Lyon, Strasbourg and Rennes. Some of the protests became violent, prompting police intervention.
The movement began about two weeks ago in poorer areas around Paris and has since spread across the country, attracting support from teachers, parents, farmers and energy workers.
Lecornu said the government would address the students’ concerns by the end of October, including examining repairs to ageing school buildings. However, the government faces serious financial constraints amid France’s growing debt and budget deficit.
France’s Interior Ministry said 6,100 people had been arrested since the protests began, most of them under 18. The Justice Ministry said more than 1,800 people would face prosecution, including 1,483 minors.
At least 215 teenagers and 715 police officers have reportedly been injured during the unrest.
The protests have also attracted comments from US President Donald Trump, who blamed immigration and Muslims for the unrest, despite providing no evidence linking them to the education protests.
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