France Student Protests: Riot Police Clash With Demonstrators As 700+ Schools Disrupted

Thousands of students have taken to the streets across France over concerns about education standards, with clashes between protesters and riot police, fires and blockades disrupting more than 700 schools.

The demonstrations, which began in Paris last week, have spread to cities including Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille. Students are protesting teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, long school hours, overheated classrooms and deteriorating school buildings. Authorities have accused non-students of joining and escalating the unrest, while several unions have backed the demonstrations.

According to the BBC, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 1,747 people were arrested on Friday as police moved to contain the unrest. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said the protests had shifted from high-school demonstrations into a public order disturbance.

More than 700 schools affected

Darmanin said 735 of France's 3,700 schools had been affected "one way or another" by the violent protests.

Announcing the arrests late on Friday, Nuñez told France's TF1 television network: "We are sliding into riot and urban violence, and we are using all intermediate means to put an end to it."

Education Minister Édouard Geffray said the movement had been hijacked by non-students. Speaking to French broadcaster BFMTV, he said teachers had reported that "the people in front of me were not my students".

According to the BBC, a 17-year-old was arrested earlier on Friday on suspicion of attempted homicide following protests in Belfort in north-eastern France, where a police officer was targeted.

BBC Verify authenticated two videos showing the officer being attacked. The man, who was later identified as a police officer by a minister, is seen being chased by a group of young men before falling to the ground. He is then punched and kicked several times in the head.

At least 65 members of staff have been injured during the unrest, France's education ministry said.

Police clash with protesters

In the Paris suburb of Pantin, police charged at protesters and made arrests after projectiles were thrown at officers. In Strasbourg, police used tear gas amid concerns that the situation could become more hostile, Reuters reported.

Rubbish bins were set on fire in Rennes and Paris. Police also released photographs of items they said had been seized from demonstrators, including petrol bombs, an axe and so-called mortar fireworks.

The education ministry said school facilities had suffered "significant damage", including attacks on school gates, entrances and fences.

Nelson Mandela high school in Nantes sustained more than €2m (£1.7m) in damage after fire destroyed its glass entrance and some areas inside the school, according to the regional government.

Lola, a 16-year-old protester, told AFP on Friday: "As far as we're concerned, we've won - our school is closed this morning."

She said police actions had made the situation worse.

"It makes us even angrier - the police have no right to hit us or use tear gas on us," she added.

Students protest education conditions

Students have complained about long school hours, classrooms being too hot, teacher shortages and staff absences. They have also raised concerns about the condition of school buildings.

The unrest comes six months before next year's presidential election, while planned budget cuts affecting education funding have added to anger among young protesters.

Parents have also expressed concern that their children could become caught up in the violence.

At the Claude Monet school in southern Paris, 53-year-old Anya told AFP she had gone there looking for her son.

"We banned him from coming. I hope he isn't here, but he did leave the house," she said. "We're afraid the situation might escalate."

Darmanin said prosecutors had been asked to hold parents responsible for damage caused by their children and make them "pay for repairs".

Unions support student protests

Several French unions have backed the students.

Education union SNEP-FSU, public services union SNUEP-FSU and Solidaires have called on their members to support the demonstrations.

Solidaires Trade Union Federation said in a statement: "Let's not let them fire on our children.

"Secondary school pupils have the freedom of assembly, association and demonstration."