PARIS (Diya TV) — Student protests over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating facilities continued across France Friday, as fires damaged schools and demonstrators clashed with police.
The Education Ministry said the unrest disrupted classes at hundreds of high schools. In Paris, firefighters extinguished blazes at the entrances of the Léonard-de-Vinci and Gaston-Bachelard schools.
The protests began in the Paris region last week before spreading nationwide. Students have demanded more staff and resources, while also criticizing lengthy school days and inadequate classroom conditions. University students joined the movement Thursday, blocking access to campuses, according to a student union.
The Interior Ministry reported nearly two thousand arrests Thursday and hundreds of injured officers. Education Minister Édouard Geffray separately said students and school employees had suffered injuries since the demonstrations began.
In Nantes, a fire damaged the entrance of Nelson-Mandela High School during a blockade. Regional authorities also reported attacks on school staff. In Strasbourg, officials halted tram services to restrict movement during the unrest.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting Thursday. Government officials said some demonstrations had shifted into urban violence, while Geffray accused violent groups of hijacking the student movement.
The government also accused La France Insoumise of instigating the protests. Senior party officials rejected that allegation, accusing ministers of politicizing students’ grievances.
Students and rights groups have accused police of excessive force. The Interior Ministry said it had opened investigations into alleged police violence. Teachers’ unions, meanwhile, called for a strike Tuesday as the dispute over school funding and working conditions continued.
