French Student Protests Escalate Nationwide with Violent Clashes

Widespread protests by French students have escalated into nationwide unrest, with violent clashes leaving hundreds injured and arrested. The demonstrations, organized by Union Syndicale Lycéenne (USL) and Union Étudiante (UE), aimed to blockade high schools and universities. The groups called for broader support, stating their mobilization extended beyond educational institutions.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described the protests as having caused 'the heaviest toll in decades' on the school system. He reported at least 215 teenagers and 85 educational staff injured, along with over 700 police officers. The Interior Ministry stated that around 6,100 arrests had been made since the protests began roughly two weeks prior.

Lecornu condemned the violence, particularly incidents of high schools being set on fire, calling the actions 'unacceptable.' Joanna, a university student who attended high school in a Parisian suburb, told the BBC that the police response had been 'really aggressive.' She acknowledged that students had thrown objects on fire but argued that such actions were necessary to be heard.

TIME has reached out to the Interior Ministry for further comment as the situation continues to unfold.