High school students to turn out for new protests across France

PARIS

Many protesters have been injured and thousands of children arrested. (AFP Photo)

High school students across France were preparing for a fresh day of protests on Oct. 8, despite government efforts to ease the crisis which has rocked the country for days.

Students have blocked entrances to hundreds of high schools for 15- to 17-year-olds since late September, complaining of missing teachers, overloaded timetables, dilapidated classrooms and buildings that cannot cope with rising temperatures.

Student union leaders were urging fresh mobilization on Oct. 8 morning outside high school campuses across France, and in the capital Paris.

National education unions have also called for a general strike on Oct. 8 in support of the students.

In a televised address on the evening of Oct. 7, the prime minister attempted to calm some of the tensions, promising a plan to respond to the crisis by the end of October.

Sebastien Lecornu said that the country could not be "indifferent" to the concerns of high school students, acknowledging that the "anger of young people does not come from nowhere".

He denied that security forces have "orders to confront" the young people, after allegations of excessive police violence.

But the students urged the movement to continue.

"We want real action, and until we get it, we'll keep mobilizing," a high school student named Marilou in Fontainebleau told AFP.

Suzanne Nijdam, president of student association Fage, said they did not have "even the crumbs of an agreement" after a meeting with the higher education minister Philippe Baptiste.

She called for protests to continue on Oct. 8 with "larger-scale demonstrations next week".

The students have asked for a direct meeting with Lecornu to present what they have said are costed proposals to address their demands.

Hundreds of students, police and teaching staff have been injured since the protests began, and more than 6,500 people — mostly minors — have been arrested.

While many rallies have been peaceful, some demonstrators have started fires, destroyed bus shelters or clashed with riot police.

A 15-year-old lost a hand on Oct. 5 after police fired a stun grenade, and Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told radio broadcaster RTL early on Oct. 7 that he had suspended the police use of stun grenades in response.

Unions, rights groups and the children have accused the authorities of using disproportionate force, and police have opened 18 internal investigations into allegations of misconduct.

The unrest has erupted with just months to go before the 2027 election to choose a successor to centrist President Emmanuel Macron, with far-right veteran candidate Marine Le Pen riding high in the polls despite a graft conviction.