Emmanuel Macron condemns violence during high school mobilizations

Emmanuel Macron insisted on Wednesday that the mobilization of high school students in France did not justify “violence” and that political leaders were “not there to stir up fears and make the worst happen”, comments aimed at those responsible for La France insoumise.

“I hear and I understand the anxieties sometimes, the anger that our youth can have (...) On the other hand, none of these debates, none of these fears legitimizes violence. And under no circumstances can political leaders (..) legitimize outright violence,” declared the French president during a press conference in Madrid alongside Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

The political leaders “are there because there is a democratic mandate, because they were elected in a calm manner, in an organized framework, and they are not there to stir up fears and make the worst happen,” he added.

The mobilization of high school students continued this Wednesday in front of several establishments, notably in Saint-Denis, Strasbourg and Lyon, with the High School Union calling for a convergence of struggles with the students and for an “act two” on Thursday.

According to the Ile-de-France Region, 75 high schools were disrupted, “of which 36 high schools are the scene of violence, clashes and damage”. On RTL, the Minister of National Education, Édouard Geffray, expressed his concern about the use of violence, while emphasizing that certain demands of high school students were “legitimate”.

The Minister of the Interior indicated on Tuesday that 440 arrests took place during the blockades, mainly of minors.