French authorities closed nearly 400 high schools on Friday as nationwide protests by students escalated into clashes with police and property damage. The Education Ministry confirmed that 380 of France’s 3,700 high schools would remain closed, with many conducting classes remotely, particularly in Marseille. The unrest follows weeks of demonstrations over teacher shortages, long school hours, and deteriorating infrastructure.
Government blames ‘ultra-violent fringe’ for escalation
Education Minister Édouard Geffray stated that the student movement was being ‘held hostage’ by ultra-violent fringe groups, urging parents to prevent their children from participating. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that prosecutors would seek to hold parents liable for damages caused by minors, while noting that 90% of the 2,000 arrests since the protests began involved minors. Darmanin described the situation as shifting from legitimate protests to ‘public-order disturbances’, citing arson attacks on schools and buses.
Protesters cite unaddressed grievances over school conditions
Students participating in the demonstrations reported frustration over excessively long school days (often 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.), overheated classrooms, and frequent teacher absences. Some protesters claimed victories, such as the closure of their schools, while condemning police tactics. A 16-year-old student in Rennes, identified only as Lola, stated, ‘We’ve won—our school is closed this morning,’ but added that police use of tear gas and physical force had intensified anger. In Brest, police deployed tear gas at the Kerichen high school, according to an AFP photographer.
Violence escalates with injuries and property damage
Authorities reported at least 65 staff members injured, including 40 principals, while 170 students were wounded. Over 100 schools suffered severe damage, including fires set at entrances of two Paris high schools—Léonard de Vinci and Gaston-Bachelard—forcing firefighters to intervene. In Marseille, a teacher at Victor Hugo High School was allegedly doused with petrol, and a fire truck was set ablaze at Saint-Exupéry High School, leading to the evacuation of firefighters. Policewoman in the Paris suburbs was chased, knocked to the ground, and kicked by a group of rioters, as captured in widely circulated videos.
Political fallout and competing narratives
The government accused the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party of stoking the protests, a claim LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon and senior official Manu Rébiere denied, calling it ‘conspiratorial thinking.’ Intelligence agencies briefed the prime minister that the unrest was ‘initiated by hard-left politicians,’ though no direct evidence was provided. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez condemned the violence as ‘unbridled,’ while protesters framed their actions as a response to systemic neglect.
Broader context and ongoing unrest
The protests coincide with soaring inflation and fuel prices, adding to social tensions ahead of France’s presidential election in seven months. Polls suggest far-right leader Marine Le Pen as a frontrunner. The movement began in the Paris region last month and has since spread nationwide, with 900 blockades or related incidents reported on Thursday alone. University students in Paris and Marseille joined the demonstrations, further complicating efforts to restore order.
Education Minister Geffray is scheduled to meet with teachers’ unions, student representatives, and parents’ groups to address the crisis, though no immediate policy changes have been announced.