High school protests in France spread throughout the country: 1793 detentions

High school protests that started in France with the demand to improve educational conditions spread throughout the country. In many cities, especially Paris, students blocked school entrances, clashes broke out between police and demonstrators, and fires broke out in some schools.

French Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced that more than 400 educational institutions will be closed due to the protests. Geffray said that education in these schools will continue online.

According to the French Ministry of Education, there were protests or incidents that disrupted educational activities in 564 schools. The previous day, 1027 of approximately 3,700 high schools were affected by the protests.

Geffray stated that 65 education staff and 170 students have been injured since the protests began. The minister also said that more than 100 high schools suffered serious damage.

"The high school movement has been captured by a violent extremist movement," Geffray said of the high school protests. he said.

The French Ministry of Justice announced that 1,793 people were detained in the protests held since September 28.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, action was taken against 1949 people yesterday alone. 305 police officers and gendarmes were injured in the incidents that broke out yesterday.

Minister of Justice Gerald Darmanin said that approximately 90 percent of those detained were minors.

Darmanin wanted parents to be held responsible for any damage their children caused during the protests and to "cover the cost of repairs."

In Paris, students gathered in front of different schools, especially the Helene Boucher High School. Students blocked some school entrances with garbage bins.

Banners reading "Less police, more money" and "We're still angry, but we're not fascists" were hung on the walls of Helene Boucher High School. One student carried a sign saying "We are skipping class to teach you a lesson."

A fire broke out in two high schools in the 13th and 15th arrondissement of Paris. Fire crews intervened in the fires that broke out at the entrances of Leonard de Vinci and Gaston-Bachelard high schools.

There was also tension between students and police in Paris's National Square. Police used pepper gas to disperse demonstrators who threw fireworks at them.

A fight broke out between students and police in Strasbourg. The police used pepper gas from time to time to disperse the demonstrators.

28 educational institutions in Lyon were affected by the protests. Rhone Governorship announced that 17 people were detained within the scope of the protests in the city.

About 50 students gathered near Herriot High School. Some garbage bins were set on fire. Demonstrators threw various objects at the police, who intervened with pepper gas.

Students gathered in front of Ampere High School and barricaded themselves against the security forces.

Hundreds of students blocked the entrance of Chaptal High School in the city of Quimper. The police used pepper spray to disperse the students.

10 young people were detained during the protests in Nantes. In Toulouse, gendarmerie teams followed the demonstrations by helicopter.

High school students want education conditions to be improved, more budget to be allocated to schools and the number of staff to be increased.

Students also complain about overcrowded classrooms, inadequate thermal insulation in school buildings, and poor condition of equipment. Long lesson hours and frequent absences from teachers are also among the issues criticized by students.

Students in Paris chanted the slogan "We are in solidarity with all the students of the world."

In Nanterre, university students also supported high school students. Students blocked the entrance of the university and chanted anti-fascist slogans.

The protests, which started in the Paris region last week, spread to cities such as Strasbourg, Lyon, Rennes, Brest, Nantes, Quimper and Toulouse.

Intensive police measures were taken in front of Jean-Mace High School in Rennes. Some students gathered around the school wearing black clothes and ski masks.

"In our opinion, we won, our school is closed this morning," 16-year-old Lola said about the school being closed.

Reacting to the police intervention, Lola said, "This makes us even more angry; the police have no right to hit us or use tear gas."

Police also used tear gas to disperse demonstrators at Kerichen High School in Brest.

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Regional Council President Fabrice Pannekoucke said that the cost of damage caused by the actions in the region was between 25 and 30 million euros.

Pannekoucke stated that educational institutions, school environments and damaged vehicles are included in the cost calculation.

It was reported that some people dressed in black and with their faces covered were also involved in the protests. It was reported that the people in this group, called "Breakers", tried to burn a garbage bin and left the area after the intervention of the activists.

The protests have also turned into a political debate ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in France. The government accused the far-left France Unyielding (LFI) party of being behind the protests.

LFI director Manuel Bompard accused the government of "indulging in conspiracy theories".

Education Minister Geffray announced that he would meet with education unions and high school student associations in order to reduce tensions.