Student protests spread to universities in France: 625 detained

The high school protests, which have been going on for about a week in France, have also spread to universities.

According to the statement of the Student Union (Union Étudiante), blockades were organized in approximately 30 university campuses in cities including Paris, Strasbourg, Marseille, Lyon, Reims, Poitiers and Nanterre.

The protests initiated by high school students with demands regarding the lack of teachers, crowded classrooms, inadequate school infrastructure and educational conditions had spread to 356 high schools across the country as of Wednesday.

Entrances to many university campuses were blocked by students on Thursday morning. The scope of high school protests expanded further with actions at universities.

Students' demands include reducing class sizes, eliminating teacher shortages, renovating school buildings and allocating more resources for education.

During the recent heat waves, extremely hot classrooms in some schools were among the topics that increased the reactions of students.

TRAFFIC AND TRAM LINE WERE BLOCKED IN STRASBOURG

In Strasbourg, hundreds of students gathered in front of Couffignal High School and blocked the roads and tram line.

While some garbage containers were set on fire, tension arose between students and security forces in Saint-Denis, north of Paris. While firework-type explosives were used in the area, the police intervened with tear gas.

A fire broke out at Nelson Mandela High School in Nantes as a result of the flames spreading from garbage containers burned in front of the school to the building.

Authorities announced that the school building was evacuated, the fire was under control and there were no injuries in the incident.

In Marseille, it was reported that the protests turned into more serious violent incidents. According to Reuters, a school principal was attacked, and a fire truck responding to a fire at another school was attacked.

625 PEOPLE WERE DETAINED

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that 625 people were detained in the high school blockades carried out on Wednesday.

While it was reported that more than 440 people were detained the previous day, it was stated that a significant portion of those detained were underage students.

It was announced that 83 police officers and gendarmes were injured during the protests. Minister of Education Edouard Geffray reported that 119 students and school employees have been injured since the beginning of the protests.

The French National Police General Inspectorate (IGPN) has launched an investigation into three incidents in which students were injured during protests.

It was stated that the investigations covered the events in the cities of Sevran, Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône and Tours.

It was reported that a young man in Tours was hospitalized with a head injury, and the prosecutor's office announced that the injury was compatible with the bullet fired from the non-lethal LBD type gun used by the police.

Interior Minister Nuñez, on the other hand, argued that the interventions of the security forces were "measured".

“CONSULTANCY PLATFORM” STEP FROM THE GOVERNMENT

The Ministry of Education announced that a nationwide consultation platform will be created where high school students can submit their requests and complaints.

It is planned that the collected suggestions will be evaluated on a national scale and the government will give “structured responses” to the demands.

President Emmanuel Macron said that he understood the concerns of young people due to the climate crisis, technological transformation and geopolitical developments, but stated that these concerns would not justify violence.

CALL FROM UNIONS TO GROW THE ACTIONS

USL, one of France's major student organizations, called for the protests to move to a "second phase".

While the organization called on unions, associations and political formations to support student protests, it demanded "mass resource transfer" for schools and universities.

UNEF also called on students to take to the streets across the country. The organization reacted to government policies, arguing that university quotas were reduced and housing aid was frozen.