The wave of protests by high school students in France is taking on increasingly violent proportions, causing massive riots and disruption of the teaching process in some of the country's major cities. French authorities announced that over 440 arrests have been made so far, with the majority of those detained being minors. Education Minister Édouard Geoffrey confirmed that 76 people, including students and members of educational staff, have been injured since the revolt began.
The protests, which began in the Paris region, have quickly spread to Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and Rennes. According to data from the Union of Secondary School Students, the blockades and protests have affected about 400 of the 3,700 secondary schools in France. Students denounce the degradation of the education system, the acute shortage of teachers, tight schedules and overcrowded classes where the number of students reaches up to 34 people per class.
In several cities such as Lille and Lyon, violent clashes with the police took place. Protesters set fire to garbage cans, threw objects and used hydrochloric acid against police officers, which led to the immediate intervention of security forces with tear gas to disperse the crowds.
For his part, the Minister of Education, Édouard Geoffrey, strongly condemned the violence, calling it unacceptable. Meanwhile, the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, stated that the police intervention was entirely proportional. Local authorities have launched investigations to clarify the incidents and identify those responsible.
