Tens of thousands expected in Paris for high school protests

A wave of student protests is set to take over the streets of Paris, with tens of thousands anticipated to join the demonstrations. France's influential trade unions have allied themselves with high school students demanding improved conditions. Since late September, students aged 15 to 17 have blocked the entrances of hundreds of secondary schools, citing issues such as missing teachers, overcrowded timetables, and decrepit classrooms unable to handle rising temperatures.

While many protests have remained peaceful, others have seen destructive acts like setting dustbin fires, burning bus shelters, and clashing with riot police. The police have responded with batons, tear gas, and rounds of riot-control ammunition. According to the government, 215 students and 715 police officers have been injured since the movement's inception, with a 15-year-old losing a hand after picking up a grenade fired by riot officers.

The unrest follows the presidential election in just a few months, which will determine the successor to President Emmanuel Macron, who is restricted to a single re-election due to term limits. Additional protests are expected across the country today, with authorities predicting between 20,000 and 40,000 demonstrators in Paris.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has called for peaceful gatherings, urging a return to a structured, legal, and democratic form of opposition. The head of the CGT labour union, Sophie Binet, has pledged to protect high-school students. Several unions have accused the police of using excessive force, and the police have initiated ten internal investigations into brutality allegations since the protests began.

The government has attempted to address grievances while accusing hard-left activists of hijacking the protest movement. Since the movement's start, 24 schools have been burned or ransacked, and over 5,000 people, primarily minors, have been arrested. Prime Minister Lecornu's office reported that 85 teaching staff have also been injured.

To tackle the issue of missing teachers and dilapidated buildings, the government is pushing legislation that would make those responsible for damaging public property pay for repairs themselves, rather than using public funds. Union leader Sophie Binet has warned that the proposed law could disproportionately target the most vulnerable families.