Student protests in France erupt into violence over school conditions
Student protesters have started fires at French schools and forced firefighters to flee. This escalates clashes over staff shortages and bad building conditions.
Student protesters in France have set fires at schools in multiple cities and surrounded firefighters. Demonstrations began last week over staff shortages and rundown buildings.
At Saint-Exupery high school in Marseille, hundreds of students surrounded a fire truck. They forced firefighters to flee before setting the vehicle alight.
At another Marseille school, teachers were accidentally splashed with petrol. A student tried to throw it into a rubbish bin.
A third fire broke out at a school in Nantes. The protests have injured dozens of people and led to hundreds of arrests, mostly teenagers.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's office held a crisis meeting on Thursday. The education minister announced plans to meet with staff unions, parents and student groups.
Interior minister Laurent Nunez said troublemakers were moving from school to school to start violence. Students have accused police of using heavy-handed tactics including tear gas.
- Marseille and Nantes
- Cities affected
- Demonstrations began last week
- Timeline
Why it mattersThe spread of violent school protests shows deep unhappiness over education conditions. It threatens to weaken France's government at a sensitive moment as it announces disliked budget cuts.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect yet, but the protests show tensions rising in a major Western nation, reflecting wider global concerns about education funding and public service investment.
Corroborated bytheguardian.com
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
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