Paris: More than 400 schools and other educational establishments across France are closed on Friday as student protests over education conditions continue to spread across the country. The demonstrations have become increasingly violent in some places, with fires, clashes, property damage and a large number of arrests reported in several cities.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray said a little more than 400 establishments would be closed on Friday because authorities could not guarantee the safety of students and staff. Some schools have suffered damage, while others have been affected by blockades or incidents involving school personnel.
Students at affected schools will receive lessons remotely, according to the government. Authorities have also restricted demonstrations around some of the schools that have been closed.
The protests began in the Paris region in September and later spread to other parts of France. Students have raised concerns about teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, teachers not being replaced when they are absent and poor conditions in some school buildings.
They have also complained about long school days and problems connected with the university application system, known as Parcoursup.
The situation escalated sharply on Thursday, October 1. French authorities reported about 900 actions around schools during the day, while 1,949 people were detained or arrested in connection with the unrest.
The Interior Ministry also reported that 305 police officers and gendarmes were injured during the unrest.
The Education Ministry said 235 people connected with the education system had been injured. The figure included 170 students and 65 members of education staff.
Violence was reported in several cities.
In Marseille, a teacher was targeted with petrol during an incident linked to a school protest. At Saint Exupéry high school, firefighters responding to an incident were attacked and their vehicle was later set on fire.
Fires were also reported at schools in Nantes and Le Havre, while a car was set on fire in Strasbourg. Clashes between protesters and riot police were reported in Toulouse, Saint Denis and other areas.
The authorities said the mobilisation affected more than 1,000 educational establishments on Thursday, including hundreds of blockades. University students also joined the movement, with around 30 campuses blocked according to student organisations.
The government has condemned the violence while saying that students have the right to express their concerns peacefully.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held a crisis meeting on Thursday as the situation worsened. His government is seeking to restore safe access to schools while also responding to the concerns raised by students.
Geffray is meeting representatives of student organisations, parents and education staff as part of the government's response.
The protests are taking place during a period of wider political tension in France. The government presented its 2027 budget on October 1, proposing measures aimed at reducing the country's public deficit. The plan includes a fiscal adjustment of about 54 billion euros.
However, the student movement began before the budget was presented. Its initial demands focused mainly on education, including staffing, school facilities, class sizes and teaching conditions.
The unrest has also led to a political dispute over the role of La France Insoumise, also known as LFI.
A person close to Prime Minister Lecornu said intelligence agencies told a government crisis meeting that politicians from the hard left, including members of LFI, had been involved in initiating the protest movement.
LFI has rejected the allegation. Lawmaker Louis Boyard said the party supports peaceful demonstrations.
The allegation remains disputed and has not been independently established as a fact.
The government is now trying to distinguish peaceful demonstrations over education from incidents involving violence, fires and damage to public property. Authorities have said that people responsible for violent acts will face legal action.
Student and university organisations have also called for another mobilisation on October 6, although the scale of that action is not yet known.
For now, the immediate challenge for the French government is to keep students and education staff safe while addressing the concerns that brought the movement onto the streets.
The government is expected to continue talks with students, parents and education representatives as authorities assess the damage and determine when affected schools can safely reopen.