More than 400 detained as France student protests explode
The French interior minister reported that over 400 people, mostly minors, were taken into custody as student protests at high schools spread across the country.
The demonstrations began in Paris and have involved students blocking school entrances for days, citing overcrowded classrooms and a severe shortage of teachers as primary grievances.
Authorities said at least 10 teachers, several students and 48 police officers sustained injuries during Tuesday’s protests, with about 400 schools affected nationwide.
“We’re here to deliver a message,” a 16‑year‑old female student told AFP. “We’re not here to smash everything up for no reason. We’re there precisely to say that the education system is broken. Thirty‑four of us in each class is not feasible. Teachers are overworked.”
French Education Minister Édouard Geffray acknowledged students’ right to protest but called the incidents of violence “indefensible” and urged restraint.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told BFMTV that 440 people were detained, noting that “two thirds” were put in police custody. He insisted the police response was “carried out in an extremely proportionate manner.”
Ryad Rani, president of the Union Syndicale Lycéenne, accused the government of “repression” and the police of using excessive force. He said the protests were a “significant pushback” against systemic educational issues.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu warned that any escalation “would be irresponsible,” citing reports of “fireworks, fires, violence near high schools.” He reiterated that the protests were part of a broader wave of strikes by teachers and civil servants, most of which reported minimal incidents.
