France: Universities closed, schools blocked - protests continue

"We want to show the government that the universities are still mobilized and that we expect concrete answers," said Suzanne Nijdam, chairwoman of the largest student association, to the AFP news agency.

According to official information, 15 percent of universities were affected by protests the day before. The government reported 41 school blockades on Monday, while a student association reported 169 blocked schools nationwide. In several cases, trash cans were set on fire.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced the latest figures on the legal consequences of the violent acts during the demonstrations since mid-October: According to this, almost 5,000 people were taken into police custody, 30 percent of whom were minors. Around 330 people were detained, either in pre-trial detention or following summary judgments. Of those convicted, 95 percent are male, two-thirds are between 18 and 25 years old and 70 percent are French. About half had not previously been prosecuted.

On Tuesday, three minors were also arrested who are believed to be responsible for the fire in the entrance hall of their school in Nantes. The fire caused a stir because it was a relatively new school with a broad international and artistic focus.

Numerous unions have again called for nationwide strikes and demonstrations on Thursday, which could affect schools and numerous industries, among other things. The French railway SNCF has already announced “minor disruptions” in long-distance traffic and major disruptions in regional traffic.

The date had been fixed for some time, but took on new meaning against the backdrop of the ongoing youth protests. Several youth organizations have also called for protests on Thursday.

France's high school students have been protesting since mid-September against abuses in schools and against the opaque allocation of university places via a central online platform. The protests spread to other people, mainly protesting against the increased cost of living.