School protests, blockades resume in France despite PM’s promise to act

Demonstrations and blockades have flared up again across French educational institutions as high school students continue pushing for increased school budgets and improved learning conditions, despite government pledges to address their grievances.

The unrest widened on Thursday as university students and additional labor unions joined the movement, with large-scale gatherings taking place in Paris. Demonstrators set up barricades and obstructed surrounding streets outside several secondary schools, signaling coordinated solidarity between older university attendees and secondary pupils.

The wave of demonstrations, which originated on September 21 at a high school located in an economically disadvantaged district of Paris, has since drawn tens of thousands of participants nationwide. Protesters have put forward a variety of demands, including urgent infrastructure repairs to aging school facilities and reductions in weekly classroom schedules.

Disruption has reached significant levels throughout the national school system. Officials reported that 375 schools were completely or partially shut down on Thursday, with approximately two dozen buildings sustaining severe damage or being burned during the unrest.

The clashes have also resulted in numerous casualties, leaving students, educators, and police personnel injured. Scrutiny has intensified over law enforcement tactics, drawing criticism from human rights organizations regarding excessive force. Among the casualties, one adolescent lost a hand and another suffered a fractured jaw from detonating stun grenades, promptings authorities to prohibit the use of those devices during demonstrations. Meanwhile, authorities noted that officers had faced violent attacks from demonstrators.

According to figures from the Interior Ministry, security forces have detained at least 6,600 individuals since the unrest began, the vast majority of whom are underage minors.

The ongoing unrest is placing mounting political strain on the administration of President Emmanuel Macron ahead of upcoming April elections. In a televised speech on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu denounced the unrest and directed his cabinet to formulate a concrete strategy addressing educational grievances before the end of the month.

Lecornu also rebuked opposition figures, specifically criticizing Jean-Luc Melenchon for encouraging students to sustain their demonstrations for electoral leverage. Protesters, however, have expressed skepticism toward official commitments, indicating they plan to keep organizing demonstrations until tangible reforms are enacted.