Daniel Wolfram
Over the weekend, school protests in France turned violent. The government is now taking action.
Hundreds of schools will close on Monday as youth unrest sweeps France. Officials suspended classes after days of fierce clashes between police and demonstrators turned peaceful marches into street battles.
The trouble began last week in Paris before spreading to Marseille, Nantes, and Montpellier.
Teenagers walked out over overcrowded classrooms, crumbling buildings, and a severe shortage of teachers.
Over 20 schools ‘burned or ransacked’
French Education Minister Édouard Geffray confirmed that lessons will be “totally or partly suspended” in up to 500 locations because security conditions “have not been fulfilled”.
According to the BBC, Geffray revealed that 24 school grounds were “burned or ransacked” during recent clashes, leaving communities stunned.
He also stated that 735 out of the 3,700 schools in France had been influenced “one way or another” by the protests that have turned violent.
Outsiders drive the violence
Government officials claim radical agitators hijacked the peaceful movement. Geffray publicly blamed far-left groups for turning peaceful youth protests into violent battlegrounds.
“There are activists – particularly from the far-left – who have infiltrated the high school student movement, hijacked it from the students themselves, and engaged in extreme violence,” Geffray said. He added that 78 staff members at various schools across the country were injured, calling it “something we have never seen before”.
Police action has been swift. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported 1,747 arrests on Friday alone. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), police have detained over 5,000 people since protests began, with minors making up roughly 85% of detentions.
Geffray warned, “Clearly, this poses a risk to both our staff and our students,” while promising a “partial, progressive return to lessons” as officers secure surrounding streets.
Promises of reform
Protest leaders are refusing to back down. According to AFP, organisers called for new demonstrations on Tuesday after accusing ministers of failing to offer “concrete measures” to fix broken schools.
In response, Prime Minister of France, Sébastien Lecornu, announced plans to “address the difficulties faced by high school students and educational staff” through facility upgrades and clearer university admissions.
The government is also pushing a new legal crackdown. Lecornu confirmed ministers will fast-track a “vandal-pays” bill so those who cause damage pay for repairs out of their own pocket.
