Protests in France, demonstrations by high school students continue

Minister Geffray himself spoke on the TF1 news last night to try to calm the student protest that is inflaming the country: the head of the Department of Education announced that 3 thousand substitute teachers will be sent "in the next few hours and days" to the high schools where the situation is most critical.

"Thanks to a software that I requested a year ago, we have been able, at the beginning of the year, and it is the first time we have used it, to identify institutions that are in situations that I would define as very problematic. There are 114 high schools that I would classify as 'red' and 400 as 'orange'", he explained, adding: "We have 3 thousand substitute teachers who are currently not in class and will reach these institutions in the next few hours".

The balance of yesterday's protests

And again yesterday, according to reports from the Ministry of the Interior, 504 were arrested in France and 48 were injured, including policemen and gendarmes, after protests by the student movement.

A total of 71,500 people demonstrated in the country, of which 24,500 in Paris. The ministry noted "an increase in urban violence" and estimated that 55,000 people took part in actions in front of schools, specifying that only a part of them then joined the demonstrations.

However, no serious incidents occurred, except for the dispersion of the crowd, which occurred in a climate of tension, at Place de la Bastille in Paris.

Wembanyama sides with the students: "I support them"

Today, however, the French NBA star Victor Wembanyama, 22 years old, openly sided with the student protests: "I listen to them and I support them", said the San Antonio Spurs phenomenon.

"There are systemic inequalities, problems so deep that I am happy that high school students and young people in general are making their voices heard. I hope that someone will listen to them even at the top."

'Wemby' said he had experienced these problems firsthand at school until a few years ago; to a comment on Instagram from a boy who asked him to 'come and demonstrate with us' he replied "I would love it".