French government relies on dialogue in escalating school protests

For days, students at French high schools have been demonstrating against broken buildings and too few teachers. Violence occurs in many places. How does the government want to get the protest under control?

Numerous people were arrested during school protests in France. Photo: Jean-Francois Badias/AP/dpa

Paris. 1,949 people were arrested in escalating school protests in France. Most of them are accused of violence - for example against emergency services - according to the Interior Ministry. 305 police and gendarmes were injured. On Friday, a good 400 schools will remain closed because of the protest and will only offer distance learning, said Education Minister Édouard Geffray. According to him, 170 students and 65 people from the education sector have been injured since the protests began.

Education Minister relies on dialogue

Schoolchildren have been demonstrating for more money since the end of last week. They complain about dilapidated school buildings, overcrowded school classes and too few teachers. Part of the anger at high schools also related to the platform through which university admissions take place.

While many students demonstrated peacefully, there were also repeated riots. Garbage cans burned, emergency services were attacked and school buildings were damaged. Public transport was restricted in several cities because of the protests. A fire truck was set on fire in Marseille. The Interior Ministry complained that the situation no longer had anything to do with the legitimate expression of demands. Rather, it has all the characteristics of urban unrest.

The fact that the protests have not stopped for days and have spread to universities is putting pressure on the French government. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called an emergency meeting on the situation in high schools. According to media reports, ministers were asked to cancel planned trips. Education Minister Geffray called for calm on France 2 and announced talks with representatives of high school students. Their demands must be heard. The only way is dialogue.

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