French students vow to continue protests over school conditions

Summarised from 4 outlets · 5 reports · Updated 9 Oct, 01:20 · Archive

Tens of thousands of students protested across France on Thursday over deteriorating school conditions, clashing with riot police despite government pledges of reform.

Tens of thousands of students took to the streets across France on Thursday in ongoing protests over school conditions. The interior ministry reported 71,500 people participated in demonstrations nationwide, with over 150 schools closed. Violent clashes erupted between protesters and riot police in central Paris at Place de la Bastille, where officers deployed water cannons and tear gas.

The protests, now in their third week, stem from complaints about dilapidated classrooms, overcrowded timetables and school buildings unable to cope with rising temperatures. More than 500 schools have been forced into partial or complete closure since protests intensified the previous week. The interior ministry reported 6,100 arrests since the outbreak of demonstrations in September.

Education Minister Edouard Geffray met with students and teachers in Reims and announced an emergency plan addressing some demands. He vowed to replace absent teachers on a long-term basis and said heavy timetables were under review. However, student protest leaders rejected the government's response. Ryad Rani, a student union leader, called the pledges 'hot air' and said the mobilisation would continue, calling for a nationwide protest and strike on 17 October.

Marius Mesnil, co-secretary general of France's main high school union Syndicale Lyceenne, told local broadcaster BFMTV that protests would only escalate as long as students 'are not listened to'. The New York Post reports that demonstrations had also spread to Belgium, where students protested overcrowded classrooms, limited resources and increased teacher workloads.

How it is being reported

• Riot police clash with students in Paris protestsIn France, some public schools have been closed since Monday and won't reopen until next week amid nationwide student and labor protests that have been raging for three weeks. Aiden Stretch reports from Paris.CBS News · 9 Oct, 01:04
• Thousands face off with police at Paris' Bastille Square in protest over school conditionsOver 150 schools across France closed on Thursday as nationwide student-led protests over school conditions grew even more contentious. CBS News international reporter Aidan Stretch has the latest from Paris.CBS News · 8 Oct, 22:59
• French student protesters swarm historic Bastille site — and slam education leaders’ pledge for change as ‘hot air’The demonstrations also appeared to spread outside of France, with students in Belgium protesting overcrowded classrooms, limited resources and increased teacher workloads.New York Post · 8 Oct, 22:13
• 'Fighting for our future': France high school students vow no let-upOver 70,000 people took part in demonstrations across France on Thursday demanding better education and less police brutality, as students protested nationwide despite government attempts to ease a crisis that has rocked the country for more than a week. Students have blocked entrances to hundreds of high schools, with squads of riot police deployed -- occasionally resulting in violent clashes. The interior ministry said 71,500 participated in protests across the country, with police detaining more than 500 people. FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin reports from central Paris.France 24 · 8 Oct, 21:17
• Student union warns France riots 'WILL intensify' if they are 'not listened to' despite days of violent clashes and 256,000 taking to the streets on Tuesday aloneHundreds of thousands of protestors have caused havoc on the streets of France's major cities in recent weeks over dilapidated classrooms, overloaded timetables and substandard conditions.Daily Mail · 7 Oct, 02:02

In this story: France · Marius Mesnil · Edouard Geffray · Ryad Rani · Syndicale Lyceenne · Paris · Place de la Bastille · Belgium

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem