French Riot Police Clash With Student Protesters; Mayor's Actions Draw Scrutiny

French riot police engaged in violent clashes with student protesters in central Paris, with footage capturing officers being kicked and projectiles being thrown. Amid the unrest, Saint-Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko, a member of the far-left, has been observed posing for selfies with supporters and being carried on the shoulders of demonstrators.

These protests, which have been blocking access to high schools for over two weeks, have led to nationwide disorder. Reports indicate that balaclava-clad demonstrators have set fire to schools and attacked teachers, while riot police have been involved in ongoing battles with protesters. Water cannons were deployed as confrontations intensified, with police using batons and protesters pressing against their shields.

Mayor Bagayoko's public support for the demonstrations has drawn criticism and led to his referral to the public prosecutor's office for "incitement to commit a crime." He was recorded stating that "violence, at a given moment, can be legitimate," in support of the high school blockade movement. Despite this, he has become a visible figure among the youth protest movement.

Bagayoko, who previously served as a local councilor for 19 years and coaches basketball, keeps a portrait of President Emmanuel Macron leaning against the wall in his office, which he calls a protest against social inequalities. He also displays a Palestinian flag behind his chair, a gesture seen as support for a cause championed by LFI founder Jean-Luc Mélenchon. The LFI and Mélenchon have faced accusations related to their stance on the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas and accusations of antisemitism against Mélenchon.

Bagayoko previously courted controversy by announcing a plan to gradually disarm the police. This proposal faced strong opposition from the hard-right, with some mayors offering to welcome officers who felt threatened by his policies. Bagayoko denied reports of a significant number of transfer requests, labeling them as exaggerated.

He has been vocal in his opposition to police use of force during the recent protests, stating that many students showed no aggressive behavior. However, authorities report that since the protests began, there have been over 6,000 arrests and dozens of student injuries. Rights groups and unions accuse the police of employing heavy-handed tactics, including the use of batons, tear gas, and non-lethal weapons against minors. Concurrently, authorities report hundreds of police officers have been injured, schools have been damaged, and attacks have occurred against teachers and the public. In some instances, parents have been seen intervening to pull their children away from the unrest. Bagayoko, a father of four, stated his responsibility to support the high school students involved in the protests.