Protesting students blockaded French high schools again on Tuesday, continuing a weeks-long movement demanding increased resources for the nation's school system. Adult demonstrators also marched in solidarity with the teenagers.
At Hélène Boucher lycée in Paris, protesters obstructed the entrance by tipping trash cans and bicycles. Hundreds of schools across the country faced similar blockades. Authorities had begun closing schools the previous week to de-escalate demonstrations that had resulted in damage to school property and injuries to staff, students, and police.
Media reports indicated protests in various cities and towns on Tuesday morning. Labor unions called for workers to join marches supporting the high school movement, which has put pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government.
Despite a growing number of serious injuries among young protesters, attributed to police riot-control weapons, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that the police response has been proportionate in "almost all cases." He reported over 6,100 arrests and 715 injured officers.
Parents and other adults were seen positioning themselves between protesters and police outside the Hélène Boucher school. The blockades and protests initially began in the Paris region in mid-September before spreading nationwide.
Demonstrators have cited a range of grievances, primarily focusing on a lack of resources and opportunities in disadvantaged schools. Specific complaints include rundown classrooms lacking basic furnishings, inadequate cooling during summer heat, rat infestations, staff shortages, and heavy workloads. French high school students reportedly have some of the highest compulsory classroom hours in Europe.