5 October : Nearly 500 high schools across France are suspending classes following student protests and clashes with riot police. French Education Minister Édouard Geffray said 400 to 500 schools would be partially or fully closed on Monday as the security situation remained unstable.
According to the education minister, at least 24 schools have been affected by arson and vandalism since the protests began. The movement started in Paris last week over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating school buildings, before rapidly spreading to other cities. Demonstrations have intensified in Montpellier, Nantes, Marseille and several other parts of the country.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said 735 of France’s 3,700 high schools had been affected in some way by the ongoing violence.
Geffray alleged that far-left activists were infiltrating the student movement and encouraging violence. He also said that 78 education workers had been injured so far.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 1,747 people were arrested during Friday’s protests alone. According to Agence France-Presse, the total number of arrests since the movement began has exceeded 5,000. Around 85 per cent of those arrested are reportedly minors.
Protesters have announced plans to continue demonstrations on Tuesday, accusing the government of failing to take sufficient measures to address the situation. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, meanwhile, said the government was taking steps to keep classroom activities functioning normally, improve school infrastructure and ensure greater transparency in university admissions.
The government is also seeking to make those responsible for vandalising or damaging public property pay compensation. To this end, authorities are placing emphasis on implementing the so-called “Vandal-Pay” bill.
Source: BBC