France shuts nearly 400 high schools amid escalating student protests
Almost 400 high schools across France were closed on Friday as a week-long student protest over poor school conditions continued. The unrest has led to clashes with police and roughly 2,000 arrests.
Nearly 400 high schools across France remained closed on Friday as a student protest movement entered its second week, driven by complaints over inadequate school conditions such as overheated classrooms and teacher shortages.
The protests have repeatedly turned confrontational, with students clashing with police. Authorities have made approximately 2,000 arrests since the unrest began. Students have also blocked access to several school buildings, disrupting normal operations.
Accusations of police violence
Reporting from outside a high school near Paris, France 24's Olivia Bizot said many of the protesting students accuse police of using excessive force against them during the demonstrations.
The protests form part of a broader movement spreading across schools nationwide, drawing attention to ongoing problems with infrastructure and staffing shortages in the French education system.
