French students set schools on fire in protest against education system

Pars Today- French students took to the streets to protest the state of the education system, clashed with police and set several schools on fire.

According to Pars Today, citing IRNA, in Paris, French police used tear gas on Thursday to disperse protesters, while the entrances to several schools in the French capital were set on fire.

The protests are part of a broader student movement calling for increased funding for schools across France.

French media published footage of similar protests in cities including Lille, Nantes, Rennes and Marseille.

In Lille, protesters set trash bins and electric bicycles on fire on Wednesday, the fourth consecutive day of demonstrations.

French Education Minister Édouard Geffray said Thursday’s violence included a school being set on fire and gasoline being sprayed on staff members. He also ordered classes to be held online.

The French education minister said 65 staff members were injured during the protests. Geffray wrote on X: “I urge parents not to allow their children to put themselves at risk. Protecting students and staff is our absolute priority. Therefore, more than 400 schools will be closed tomorrow.”

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a far-left presidential candidate, described the French government’s response to the protests as repressive.

The office of French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he had asked government ministers to cancel all official trips planned for the coming days so that officials and police forces could focus on managing and responding to the protests.