Nationwide student protests in France: Tense situation and serious allegations against the police

French students have once again called for nationwide demonstrations. They are supported by teachers' unions and student associations. They all want to demonstrate for better education, fewer canceled lessons, better school buildings and a more transparent allocation of study places. The police have been alerted because of the riots during previous protest days.

Shortly before the nationwide demonstrations, Education Minister Édouard Geffray called on the student body to work together. The students have something to say, emphasizes the minister and refers to the digital dialogue platform.

The mood in the country is tense

But the mood in the country remains tense. On Monday, a 15-year-old student at a lycée in Lens, northern France, lost a hand to a police grenade under circumstances that are still unclear.

Last week, one student lost an eye and another suffered serious injuries to his jaw and teeth after - according to witness statements - a police officer fired a tear gas grenade at him from a distance of 1.5 meters.

Unbridled violence against schools

At the same time, schools and principals continue to fall victim to unbridled violence: unknown people set fire to a lycée in Paris. Shocked director Carole Zerbib reported on the BFM television station that students had brought full trash cans and bicycles and set them on fire right in front of the door. She has rarely experienced such violence.

The incident occurred while around 100 students were gathered in the building for class. Perpetrators from outside the school often seem to be behind such blatant acts of violence. School leaders and the education minister emphasize this.

In connection with vandalism, the government now wants to quickly introduce the long-planned “casseur-payeur” bill, which is intended to make it easier for the authorities to ask those who destroy objects in public spaces to pay.

Police officers should “not hold back”

While the Minister of Education visited a school the day before the nationwide protests and tried to de-escalate the situation through direct contact with the students, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez emphasized at the end of last week that there was no instruction for the police to hold back or restrict themselves. They are allowed to use any non-lethal weapon to stop the violence.

This approach is causing massive criticism - from politicians from the left-wing political spectrum, but also and above all among young people themselves, as was the case during smaller protests in Marseille.

Among other things, one could hear: "The students' violence expresses real anger. We don't support it. But politicians must not abuse these riots to delegitimize our movement." And: "The violence of the demonstrators is the result of state and police repression."

“The rule of law is being trampled on”

While the French Human Rights League criticized the police for trampling on the rule of law, Education Minister Geffray emphasized that the students' right to demonstrate is a freedom that must be respected and protected.