Student protests, which started nearly two weeks ago in the Seine-Saint-Denis area of northern Paris, have now spread across France. On Thursday, hundreds of lycées were blockaded, and by Friday, around 400 lycées were closed to ensure the safety of staff and students.
The protests have seen violence, including the destruction of a lycée's main hall in Nantes by fire on Thursday, and numerous smaller fires at school entrances nationwide. The estimated cost of the damage is millions of euros.
According to Education Minister Édouard Geffray, 65 teaching staff, including 40 school heads, have been injured. Mr Geffray stated that most injured staff reported facing individuals who were not their own pupils. The government also reports that approximately 300 police and firefighters have received treatment for injuries, and about 2,000 people, predominantly minors, have been taken into custody. Student groups, however, report a significant number of people injured by police, including two teenagers with serious eye injuries and one who lost multiple teeth.
The protesters' demands are described as vague but include calls for more money, additional teachers, smaller class sizes, and improved school buildings. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu recently published a draft budget for next year, which proposes significant cuts to state spending.
An internal report for the Paris police department, leaked to the media, concluded that students were being "egged on by far-left elements from students unions… and political groups such as… LFI." The France Unbowed party (LFI) denies these claims, with its presidential candidate, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, urging students to avoid violence.