French secondary school students have escalated protests over poor conditions—long hours, teacher shortages, and decaying facilities—into violent demonstrations, prompting the government to close 400 schools and move classes online. Nearly 3,000 students have been detained and over 300 police injured as riots involving arson spread across the country, with political figures including hard-left candidate Mélenchon weighing in on the unrest.
France experienced massive public sector and student strikes on Tuesday, with hundreds of thousands protesting austerity measures and rising costs of living. Firefighters, teachers, and healthcare workers joined the mobilization organized by major unions, while students blocked schools nationwide, with clashes in Île-de-France resulting in arrests and injuries. The protests were triggered by a €54 billion fiscal adjustment and a stark wage-purchasing power gap, occurring ahead of budget presentations and presidential elections.