France braces for fresh nationwide protests after week of school unrest leaves hundreds hurt, thousands arrested

France is preparing for widespread demonstrations on Tuesday after the student organisation Union Syndicale Lycéenne (USL) called for a nationwide mobilisation in support of students pushing for greater investment in schools. The call comes after a turbulent week in which students blockaded hundreds of schools nationwide, leaving at least 190 people injured and resulting in more than 5,000 arrests.

On Monday, a student was seriously hurt after his hand was blown off during a clash, while another young protester suffered severe head injuries after being struck by a tear gas canister the previous week. According to his family's lawyer, the boy required major surgery after suffering a double jaw fracture. Speaking publicly, his mother described the situation as shameful and horrifying, stressing that those affected are children simply asking for better learning conditions.

While the prime minister has pointed to measures the government has introduced to respond to student demands, USL organisers say the proposals amount to nothing substantial. The teachers' union SNES-FSU has thrown its support behind Tuesday's action, urging members to participate. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the hard-left La France Insoumise, has likened the scale of the movement to the unrest of 1968, calling it the most significant youth mobilisation in decades.

The unrest began in Paris in September and has since spread nationwide, driven by grievances including overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating school buildings, and staff shortages. What started among secondary school pupils later drew university students into the movement. Justice ministry figures show that of the more than 5,000 people detained, the vast majority are minors, with over 1,800 facing prosecution.

USL has accused police of using disproportionate force, a claim the interior minister has rejected, insisting the policing response has been measured. The crisis has become increasingly politicised, with the government and hard-right figures blaming the hard left for escalating tensions, while left-wing leaders accuse police of overstepping. Marseille's mayor has urged young people to voice their concerns peacefully.