Students lead violent protests in France over underfunding, overcrowding in schools

French high school students are leading protests over poor conditions in the country's educational institutions. The protests, which began in the Paris region and have spread nationwide, are focused on issues such as overcrowded classrooms, too few teachers, and schools in poor condition. Students are demanding better facilities and concrete measures from the government to address their grievances.

The protests have turned violent, with students lighting fires and hurling projectiles at police, who have responded with tear gas. According to ABC News AU, a policeman was chased, kicked, and beaten by a group of youths, and a teacher was sprayed with petrol before being physically assaulted in La Ciotat, southern France. A young man in Tours lost the use of his right eye after being injured in clashes with police.

Unions and student groups are urging protesters to continue the pressure on the government, with new rallies planned for next Tuesday. The head of the USL high school union, Ryad Rani, said that high school students are expecting concrete measures from the government, but have not received them so far. Hundreds of schools have been disrupted or closed, and thousands of people have been arrested, according to The Indian Express.

Brief written by urgent.news from CBS News, ABC News AU, The Indian Express, Free Malaysia Today — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.