400 French Schools Shut as Student Protests Turn Violent
Is this the predictable result of years of austerity or are protests wrecking the very schools they claims to defend?
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Above: French students set fires as they clash with police during a march in Aubervilliers, France, on Oct. 1. Image credit: Tom Nicholson/Getty Images
The Facts
- Around 400 French schools and other educational establishments are expected to stay closed Friday, Education Minister Édouard Geffray told broadcaster France 2 late Thursday, after student protests escalated into violence in some locations.
- The interior ministry said police and gendarmes made 1,949 arrests Thursday and that 305 officers were injured. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting, after which his office described the demonstrations as "urban violence."
- Interior ministry figures show that the movement affected 1,027 of France's 3,700 high schools. Students also blocked access to about 30 university campuses on Thursday, including in Paris and Marseille.
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The Spin
Government-critical narrative
Crumbling classrooms, absent teachers and endless budget cuts have finally pushed students past the breaking point — nobody can pretend this anger is spontaneous. Austerity imposed from the top always lands on the youngest and most powerless. A government that can't provide adequate educational facilities has no business lecturing anyone about discipline.
Pro-government narrative
Torching buildings and injuring dozens of school staff members has nothing to do with defending public education. The safety of students and the adults who teach them outweighs any slogan, and keeping campuses open while arson spreads would be reckless. Remote classes will keep learning going until the violence stops.
