Mélenchon accuses the Lecornu government of having ordered racist repression against high school students

The leader of France Insoumise Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused on Monday the government of Sébastien Lecornu of having “ordered the repression” of high school student movements “with an obvious racist aftertaste”, by calling on elected officials and LFI activists to “interpose themselves wherever” they can.

“High school students on the move are harmless. The Lecornu government ordered the repression. This ferocity is irresponsible with an obvious racist aftertaste. Don't touch our young people. Elected officials and rebellious activists intervene wherever you can,” he wrote on X, while high schools in Île-de-France have been experiencing incidents for a week.

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The Ministers of the Interior and National Education warned on Monday that in the event of violence and a total blockade of high schools, the police would intervene, while high schools in Île-de-France have been experiencing incidents for a week.

Sébastien Lecornu had earlier denounced on “Mortar fire, fires, violence around high schools: nothing justifies putting students, staff or police officers in danger. In this context, elected officials from La France insoumise are calling for the movement to be expanded. This escalation is irresponsible,” wrote the Prime Minister.

Still on X, the Prime Minister calls out Jean-Luc Mélenchon “Your accusation of racism is an insult. Students have the right to safety. Staff have the right to protection. The police have the right to respect when they carry out their mission,” adds Sébastien Lecornu, asking the leader of La France insoumise whether he condemns, yes or no, this violence.

“The difficulties of high schools must be heard and addressed”

LFI deputy Louis Boyard notably affirmed on Friday that “the high school movement must expand” believing that “these students lack everything”. Actions spread to the suburbs of Paris on Friday and according to the Minister of Education Édouard Geffray who spoke on RMC on Monday, “around ten” high schools were blocked.

“The duty of an elected official of the Republic is to protect young people and call for calm. Instrumentalizing their anger for partisan purposes is a mistake,” added Sébastien Lecornu, stressing that however “the difficulties of high schools must be heard and addressed”.

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