‘Appalling’: Actor Omar Sy joins public figures criticising French authorities’ response to student protests
The student protests have been building since late September, sparked by complaints of staff shortages and dilapidated schools. A major strike action is planned for this Saturday, and more public figures are expressing their support for the students’ demands.
French protests have persisted, with students and teachers advocating for better staff resources, deteriorating school facilities, faulty equipment, and mounting concerns over a bleak future and financial hardships. On Tuesday, over 480,000 protesters marched across France, holding signs that read "Our schools, like our hopes, are crumbling" and "Graduates today, uncertain tomorrow."
Since the movement began in September, instances of violence have emerged, including a teenager losing a hand and more than 6,800 students being detained by police. Authorities have reported 147 National Education staff injured and nearly 40 investigations launched into alleged police misconduct. Public figures such as Greta Thunberg, Victor Wembanyama, Louane, and Vincent Lindon have voiced their support for the protests, with Lindon stating that the younger generation is legitimately asserting demands and rights against a state lacking funds for social peace.
Actor Omar Sy joined the chorus of public criticism during a France Inter broadcast, condemning the authorities' approach to the demonstrations and urging authorities to heed students' demands. Sy remarked, "These are our kids; it is the future of our country that is speaking out to a nation that is completely adrift." He condemned the violence, saying "When I see that there’s no response to this, and that the immediate instinct is to stop them from speaking out, or to beat them up, or even to pit them against one another in childish brawls, I find it appalling."
Sy questioned the role of adults, asking "What are we actually doing to our children? Instead of jumping straight to reprimanding, punishing, or correcting them, or forcing them to face off against one another, we aren’t listening to them at all." Human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Office, have also voiced concern over the police's disproportionate use of force and called for de-escalation.
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