Hundreds of French high schools shut as new violence erupts

Paris authorities grappled with a surge in violence as a protest movement targeting French high schools continued unabated on Friday. Over 560 institutions had either closed or faced disruptions following the movement that began last week, predominantly in the Paris region and subsequently spreading nationwide. Final-year pupils in secondary schools, or lycees, barricaded buildings and engaged in confrontations with law enforcement.

The students cite excessively long school hours, subpar conditions such as overheated classrooms, and recurring staff absences as the primary grievances. "For an entire year, we didn't have a science teacher. We don't have any textbooks," lamented Simon, a 15-year-old who declined to disclose his last name outside Turgot high school in central Paris. "And yet, we're still considered fortunate. The situation is far worse in the suburbs."

The French government acknowledges the students' grievances as legitimate but has condemned the ensuing "urban violence." Students have accused police of employing excessive force, resulting in injuries due to the frequent use of tear gas canisters to disperse the protests.