Riot police clash with students as education protests rage in France

French authorities faced a clash between students and police on Friday, as President Emmanuel Macron's administration sought to quell escalating protests over classroom conditions and funding. The unrest spread across the country, with tear gas, fireworks, and burning rubbish bins reported in various cities. In Pantin, near Paris, fences were set ablaze and firecrackers thrown at riot police, before the youth fled.

After a government crisis meeting, Prime Minister's Office sources suggested the protests had devolved into urban violence, possibly influenced by "outsiders." Education Minister Edouard Geffray reported 65 teachers injured, including 40 school principals. Several Paris-area students cited the escalating violence as reasons to avoid the protests on Friday.

Trade unions called for a teachers' strike the following Tuesday, citing years of unfulfilled demands.

The protests originated in the Paris region last week but have since escalated nationwide. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin claimed police had arrested 2,000 individuals, most under 18, and asserted that parents of those damaging property should pay reparations. Four hundred high schools, about one in ten, were closed on Friday due to the unrest, while Geffray urged parents to keep their children from participating in the protests.

Some parents supported the students' cause, while others protested alongside them. Students blockading high schools voiced grievances over overcrowded classrooms, insufficient teachers, and deteriorating facilities, blaming years of underinvestment. The draft 2027 budget presented by the government allocated a below-inflation 1.7% increase to the education budget, totaling €65.53 billion, excluding teacher pensions.

Education spending, traditionally the largest budget category, is expected to decrease due to debt servicing costs reaching €74.5 billion next year. Intelligence agencies noted the protests were allegedly initiated by France Unbowed party politicians, but LFI lawmakers denied these allegations, accusing the government of politicizing the unrest ahead of the election.

Rights groups criticized police for employing heavy-handed tactics against minors, including baton use, tear gas, and non-lethal flash-ball guns. Three investigations into police violence have been initiated by the interior ministry. Protests have also spread to Belgium, with high school students in Liège demonstrating on Thursday, leading to school closures on Friday.