Macron says French student protesters 'exploited' by political forces
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron believes the students waging three weeks of protests that have closed many schools have “legitimate” grievances but are also being “exploited” by political forces, a government spokeswoman said Wednesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed concern on Wednesday that the ongoing protests by students have been both legitimate in their grievances and exploited by political forces. With his final six months in office, Macron has urged the government to provide concrete responses to the unrest within weeks, according to spokeswoman Maud Bregeon.
Following Macron's weekly cabinet meeting, which occurred the day after nationwide solidarity demonstrations, Bregeon revealed that 161,500 people participated in the Tuesday demonstrations in Paris and other cities, while unions claimed the figure was closer to 480,000. Some violent incidents transpired alongside the marches, with police firing tear gas, resulting in 248 student injuries and 937 injured police officers, as well as 149 injured teaching staff.
Opposition parties, such as Jean-Luc Melenchon from the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party and Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) party, have used the demonstrations to their advantage, with the latter blaming students for the violent episodes. Students, unions, rights groups, and parents have accused the police of brutality, with some young protesters sustaining severe injuries.
One 15-year-old, Evan, has initiated legal proceedings demanding an impartial investigation, disputing the police's account of him attempting to pick up a stun grenade that detonated on October 5. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu revealed that 248 students and 937 police officers were injured during the protests. The justice ministry reported that nearly 8,000 people had been arrested, with 2,735 minors facing charges.
Police have initiated internal investigations into 36 allegations of officer violence against demonstrators. A police union has filed a lawsuit against the government, claiming lives were endangered due to contradictory orders and empathetic public statements toward rioters. The government anticipates a decrease in the student protest movement following two weeks of school holidays starting this weekend, as Education Minister Edouard Geffray reported that two-thirds of France's 3,700 lycees were significantly affected by the protests.
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