Students and police clash as France struggles to quell school protests

Riot police confronted high school students across France on Friday as President Emmanuel Macron's administration struggled to control escalating protests demanding better classroom conditions and increased funding. Tear gas filled the air in Strasbourg, fireworks were launched at police in Marseille, and trash bins were set ablaze in Rennes. In Paris, students held signs reading "We have a future to build, not to endure."

The protests, six months before next year's presidential election, coincide with the government's planned budget cuts, which have further fueled discontent. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin reported that 2,000 people, mostly teenagers, had been arrested since the protests began, with numerous high schools closing due to unrest. Education Minister Edouard Geffray urged parents to dissuade their children from taking part in the demonstrations, stating that children are in danger.

The student protest movement, Darmanin claimed, had been hijacked by outsiders. Four hundred high schools, approximately one in ten, were closed on Friday, with the education budget set to increase by a below-inflation 1.7% to €65.53 billion in the 2027 budget, excluding teacher pensions. Education, traditionally the largest budget item, has become even more strained due to the anticipated rise in debt servicing costs.

The protests have been denounced by intelligence agencies, who blamed the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) for initiating the movement, a claim the LFI lawmakers denied. They accused the government of politicizing the protests to replace Macron. Rights groups, including Amnesty International, criticized the police for employing excessive force against minors, urging protection rather than brutality.