French Student Protests Draw 250,000 and Shut 900 Schools as Government Suspends Classes
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 3
French Student Protests Draw 250,000 and Shut 900 Schools as Government Suspends Classes
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 3
Summary
Around 250,000 people marched Tuesday in dozens of French cities over poor school conditions and teacher shortages, extending student protests that have run for weeks.
Nearly 900 schools were closed, officials said, while unions and student groups put both turnout and closures far higher, at roughly double the government count.
Hundreds have been injured and thousands arrested—most of them minors—as clashes with riot police escalated since the protests began last month.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said regular classes would be fully suspended Thursday and Friday so principals could hold discussions with students inside schools.
The unrest is hitting as the government pushes a tight budget and France heads toward next year's presidential election, with ministers blaming France Unbowed for fueling demonstrations and the party denying it.
With over 6,000 arrests, will the French government's unprecedented school shutdown quell the youth uprising or ignite further nationwide rebellion?
As austerity clashes with demands for better schools, are these violent demonstrations a genuine plea for education or a hijacked political weapon?
Can a two-day political discussion truly resolve decades of crumbling classrooms and grueling schedules before the student protests collapse the education system?