Nearly 900 French Schools Closed Amid Student Protests

Almost 900 high schools in France have closed partially or fully due to clashes between riot police and student protesters in recent days.

These clashes are a result of growing student frustration over poor conditions in schools. Issues like teacher shortages, lack of resources, and bad facilities have fueled the anger. What started as a small protest at Saint-Exupéry high school in a Paris suburb on 21 September has turned into a nationwide protest.

The French Ministry of Education reports that 891 schools across the country have suspended classes because of these protests.

Now, the country is seeing what seems to be the biggest protest day yet. Nearly 90,000 students, teachers, and parents have taken to the streets in cities all over France, according to The Guardian.

The French high school students' union stated that the number of protesters has “reached a new record” on Tuesday, as reported by Sky News.

This demonstration has been called “Act Three” by the school union.

Images from the protests show riot police facing off with demonstrators in the capital.

The confrontation on Monday resulted in several injuries. A 15-year-old boy lost a hand due to a grenade explosion in the northern city of Lens. Police reports indicate he had picked up a stun grenade.

The AFP news agency said the student likely grabbed a rubber sting-ball or “de-encirclement” grenade, which riot police fired. He tried to throw it back before it exploded in his hand.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu stated that hundreds of police officers and students have been injured during the protests across the nation.

In a statement to the French parliament, Mr Lecornu said at least 215 students have been injured since the protests started. Additionally, 85 school workers and 715 gendarmes and police officers have also suffered injuries.

He noted that these numbers are the highest seen in decades affecting workers in the education system.

Mr Lecornu condemned the “trivialisation” of violence and called it “unacceptable.”

“Burning down a high school does not improve the state of high school buildings,” he said. “Lynching a teacher does not help replace teachers.”

He also claimed it was false to say the government had ordered “police repression” against demonstrators.