France: School protests continue - Macron calls for moderation
Quick Look
- School protests in France continue after Tuesday's massive rallies, with blockades at schools and universities, including Sciences Po in Paris.
- Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that he would suspend police use of stun grenades during student protests after a 15-year-old lost a hand in Lens.
- President Macron called for moderation and empathy in police operations.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The school protests in France continue after the major rallies on Tuesday, triggered by demands for better school equipment, more teachers and improved learning conditions. An incident involving a police stun grenade tearing a 15-year-old's hand in Lens led to growing outrage at police violence.
The school protests in France continue unabated even after the major rallies on Tuesday. In the morning there were again individual blockades at high schools and universities, including at the elite Parisian university Sciences Po. As a precautionary measure, 528 schools remained completely or partially closed. Education unions called for renewed demonstrations on Thursday. Young people are demanding better equipment in schools, more teachers and better learning conditions.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced this morning that the use of stun grenades by police forces during student protests would be suspended. One such grenade, fired by emergency services into a group of students, tore off a 15-year-old's hand on Monday in Lens, northern France. This led to growing outrage over the brutal behavior of the police and alleged police violence.
Macron calls for moderation in police operations
In this context, President Emmanuel Macron called for moderation at a crisis meeting on Tuesday evening, the Interior Minister said in an interview with broadcaster RTL. Macron called on people to “show empathy” and to explain that the police intervene in the event of serious acts of violence. Above all, it must be made clear “that in peaceful demonstrations – including those by students in front of their schools – there is no reason for police intervention, none at all.” So far, the police have also broken up blockades in front of schools.
According to the Interior Ministry, 266,000 people took part in protests in Paris and other major cities on Tuesday, and education unions spoke of 450,000 participants.
Government fears second yellow vest movement
The government's concern is that the protests - fueled by high fuel prices and the cost of living - could spread to other areas and create something like a second yellow vest protest, which kept France in suspense for a long time in 2019. Against this background, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu wants to give a speech in the evening on the situation at high schools, the high fuel prices, the agricultural crisis and the country's ailing financial situation.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The protests will continue on Thursday as called by the education unions.
Very likely · Within days
The government will announce additional measures to prevent the protests from spreading.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- How long are the protests expected to last?
- What specific measures is the government planning to improve school conditions?
- How will the police deal with student protests in the future?
- Are there plans to compensate the injured student in Lens?