PARIS: More than 5,000 people have been arrested in France since Monday as student protests over overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and poor school conditions spread across the country.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 1,747 arrests were made on Friday alone. He described the unrest as unacceptable violence, as clashes and damage were reported near schools in several cities.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray said 735 of France’s 3,700 secondary schools were affected by protests on Friday, around 30 percent fewer than the previous day. Although the number of affected schools had fallen, violence continued alongside blockades and demonstrations.
Geffray urged parents to prevent their children from joining the unrest. The protests began at a school in the Paris suburbs, where students complained of staff shortages, neglected buildings and crowded classrooms. What started as a local protest has since spread to cities across France.
Students are demanding more teachers, better funding and safer, cleaner schools. Many say they have been forced to study in overcrowded classes while lessons are cancelled because teachers are unavailable.
The protests have raised wider concerns about inequality in France’s education system, especially in poorer suburbs around Paris. Authorities have said some student complaints are legitimate, but they have condemned attacks on police, school staff, journalists and other bystanders.
As the movement continues, the government faces pressure to respond to students’ demands while restoring calm around schools. For many young protesters, the unrest reflects a simple message: they want an education system that gives every child a fair chance.
