Mass Closures Hit French Schools Amid Record Protests
Up to five‑hundred high schools across France are slated to close — partially or wholly — on Monday as government security forces confront student demonstrators in clashes that have spread from Paris to cities such as Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray warned that “400 to 500” schools would be affected after 24 were already burned or ransacked “since the start of the protests.” He added that 78 staff members had been wounded, a figure he described as unprecedented.
The demonstrations began last week after students publicly demanded more teachers, less crowded classrooms and upgraded facilities. Since then, the French Interior Ministry has recorded 1,747 arrests on one Friday alone, with a cumulative total of over 5,000 arrests — roughly 85 % involving minors.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government would accelerate a review of its “vandal‑pays” bill to ensure those responsible for property damage shoulder the cost. He also promised a “partial, progressive return to lessons” and a review of university admissions transparency.
Protest organisers, meanwhile, called for the demonstrations to continue into Tuesday, accusing the government of lacking concrete solutions. Reuters reports eight schools close in Toulouse after police clashes, while students keep occupying the drawing-room of the Lycée Deodat‑de‑Severac.
For full coverage, see the British Broadcasting Corporation’s detailed reports and the Associated Press’ updates on the number of schools impacted and the evolving student‑government dialogue.
