A 15-year-old boy lost a hand during a demonstration that took place in Lens, in northern France, during what was a new day of protests by high school students, but not only, and on the eve of a national mobilization also supported by trade unions. The movement, born from the shortage of teachers and the conditions of the institutes and the request for more resources for education, has also spread to universities with several episodes of violence and police arrests. The protests, in fact, will continue tomorrow, October 6th. And the Minister of Universities, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste said he "fears an escalation at a national level".
Today's protests
According to what was reported by the French Ministry of Education, today there were 413 institutions affected by blockages or inconveniences, compared to 564 last Friday. The incidents were more contained than at the end of last week although in Paris a fire hit the entrance door of the Nicolas Louis Vauquelin high school, in the thirteenth arrondissement. According to the rectorate, those responsible were people external to the institute. In Lens, as mentioned, the prefect confirmed the serious injury of the fifteen-year-old. The episode occurred just as unions and associations accuse the government of repressing the demonstrations with a brutality described as "disproportionate" with the aim of silencing "legitimate" claims. And the League of Human Rights denounced "an overall deviation from the rule of law".
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What will happen in the next few hours
Meanwhile, the high school union has already anticipated, for tomorrow's date, an "act III" of the protest, to which a coordination of education unions has invited support. "The CGT militants will be there to protect students," explained secretary Sophie Binet. And calls for a "black week" of blockades are circulating on social media right now.
The claims
At the center of the claims, as mentioned, are the lack of resources and teachers, the deterioration of the buildings and the access system to the Parcoursup university. "They think that by letting us express ourselves on an online platform, we will stop blocking and being angry. But the anger has been there for years," admitted a student from Charlemagne high school in Paris.
The damages and the positions taken
Since the beginning of the protests, the government has already recorded 5 thousand arrests, approximately 85% of minors, 24 institutions "burned or devastated" and 78 members of school staff injured. According to Education Minister Edouard Geffray, the attacks were committed "generally by people external" to the institutions involved. Geffray underlines that demonstrating remains "a freedom that must be respected and protected" and recognizes in much of the movement "a desire for school". The coordinator of France insoumise, Manuel Bompard, expressed disappointment at the violence, but also accused the government of reducing the mobilization to riots. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, meanwhile, has loudly asked for lessons to resume "wherever possible" and has entrusted ministers with five areas of intervention on the issues raised by high school representatives, with "first decisions expected by the end of the month".
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