1,949 people detained in France in one day during school student protests — The Independent

In France, amid school student protests over teacher shortages and the poor condition of school buildings, 1,949 people were detained in one day. More than 500 schools stopped operating, and at least 65 education workers were injured, including 40 school principals, The Independent reports.

Arson and clashes

Teenagers, teachers and police officers were injured during the unrest. According to the BBC, some teenagers suffered eye injuries, and at least one lost teeth. In Angers, a teacher was reportedly struck on the head with an iron bar by people who were not students at the institution.

The largest unrest on Thursday took place in Marseille. Protesters set fires at at least two lycées. Near the Saint-Exupéry lycée, hundreds of young people forced firefighters to leave their vehicle before setting it on fire. Public transport in the city was suspended after workers were injured.

At least one car was set on fire in Strasbourg, while in Toulouse police in riot gear clashed with young people. In Nantes, according to the fire service, a school caught fire, while in Le Havre, fire damaged the facade of another educational institution.

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Authorities' response

The prosecutor's office said that teachers at Marseille's Victor Hugo lycée were attacked and doused with gasoline. Two teachers were accidentally splashed with fuel when a student tried to throw gasoline into a rubbish bin.

Education Minister Édouard Geffray said he would meet with representatives of trade unions, parent associations and student associations. He acknowledged that the students' demands were “legitimate.” Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said that an “active and violent minority” had joined the unrest, some of whom, he said, might not be high school students. He also said that two-thirds of those detained had been placed in custody.

At a government crisis meeting, intelligence services said that the demonstrations had allegedly been initiated by politicians from the far-left France Unbowed party. Louis Boyard, a lawmaker from the party, denied the claim.