Paris Students Protest School Funding as Police Respond With Tear Gas
Nationwide demonstrations disrupt hundreds of French schools, prompting clashes and arrests.
Dozens of students erected barricades outside a high school in northeastern Paris early Thursday, prompting police to respond with tear gas as nationwide protests over education funding continued across France. The Helene Boucher Lycee has become a focal point for clashes in the capital, and is one of hundreds of schools disrupted by protesters. Authorities reported that 375 schools were either fully or partially closed on Thursday.
France has seen widespread protests since late September, with students demanding increased education funding. The Interior Ministry has reported more than 6,600 arrests since the demonstrations began. The protests, often involving students under 18, have highlighted issues such as dilapidated facilities and insufficient staffing in many schools.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu acknowledged the disruptions, lamenting "violence, students and staff being attacked, police officers and gendarmes injured, schools set on fire or vandalized, thousands of hours of classes lost." He criticized "political leaders who use this anger to conduct their electoral battles," with presidential elections approaching in April.
Students at the Helene Boucher Lycee expressed concerns about police violence and the conditions within their schools, citing problems such as insulation issues, water leaks, and the presence of rats. Some students indicated that the movement would likely gain momentum as long as their demands are not met, potentially converging with broader political discontent ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
The protests have also had an impact in neighboring Belgium, where authorities in Liege issued a ban on public gatherings due to anticipated clashes and vandalism. Police in Liege used water cannon and tear gas on Wednesday to disperse several hundred protesters. Nearly 90 arrests were made, and several police officers were injured. Belgian protests, organized via social media, include demands for more teachers and smaller class sizes, alongside grievances about education reform, and appear to be influenced by the ongoing demonstrations in France.