Paris student protests escalate into urban violence as nearly 3,000 teenagers detained

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The movement began in the Paris region last week over grievances including overloaded timetables, overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, deteriorating school buildings, and unbearable classroom temperatures during this summer's heatwaves. As it spread nationwide, clashes with riot police, arson and vandalism erupted: the entrance hall of a secondary school in Nantes was completely destroyed, and a school principal in Marseille had fuel thrown over him. Education Minister Édouard Geffray ordered remote classes where damage or blockades made buildings unsafe; more than 400 establishments were closed on Oct. 2 and about 30 university campuses, including in Paris and Marseille, were blocked.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said the demonstrations had "gone from high-school student demonstrations to a public order disturbance," adding that "if people attack buses and set schools on fire, you can no longer speak of a protest." The Paris police prefect banned gatherings outside 13 closed Paris schools. The Interior Ministry also announced an internal police investigation after accusations of excessive force against three pupils.

Geffray is due to meet pupil representatives on Friday (Oct. 3). The government has accused the radical-left party La France Insoumise (LFI) and its proxies of organizing the movement; LFI coordinator Manuel Bompard called the mobilization spontaneous and said the government was "sinking into conspiracism."