French High School Students Extend Protests After 5,000 Arrests as CGT Plans Tuesday March
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Oct 4
French High School Students Extend Protests After 5,000 Arrests as CGT Plans Tuesday March
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Oct 4
Summary
French high school students are expected back on the streets this week after a weekend lull, extending a protest wave that has shaken Emmanuel Macron's government.
More than 5,000 arrests were made last week—85% involving minors—as police confronted demonstrations that officials fear could slide further from protest into rioting; hundreds have been injured.
The movement began in mid-September over staff shortages at a school in Creteil and spread nationwide around complaints of unequal schooling, crumbling facilities and long school days.
Hundreds of schools have closed because of damage or attacks, with 170 pupils and 65 staff reported injured, even as the 2027 budget sets aside 65.5 billion euros for schools.
Tuesday could test the protests' staying power as the CGT labor union urges workers to join, while far-left France Unbowed backs students and faces accusations of politicizing the unrest.