French student protests continue as tear gas and water cannon used in Paris
Student protests over inadequate education funding in France show few signs of ending, with hundreds of schools disrupted on Thursday. Similar but smaller unrest has appeared in Belgium and Italy.
On Thursday, students in northeastern Paris barricaded the Hélène Boucher high school with garbage bins before police used tear gas nearby. The school has become a flashpoint for clashes in the capital and was among hundreds disrupted by the protests. Many participants wore surgical masks or hoodies, apparently to avoid being identified.
Figures and the government's position
The interior ministry says more than 6,600 people have been arrested since late September, when the movement began, led mostly by students under 18. The education ministry reported that 375 schools were fully or partially closed on Thursday. That is fewer than on Tuesday, but pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government is growing.
Protesters are objecting to underfunded schools, dilapidated buildings and staff shortages. The movement has also attracted people uninterested in its aims, as well as unions and political groups. In a televised address, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned the violence, attacks on students and staff, injured police officers and gendarmes, and schools set on fire or vandalized. He criticized political leaders who exploit the anger for electoral battles; France holds a presidential election in April.
Voices from the protests
Emma Khelil, a former pupil of the school, came to support those at the barricades. She voiced concern about police violence and described insulation problems, water leaks and rats in the building. She believes the movement will not lose momentum unless things change. Sofia Ferdials, a student at Paris 8 University, said the protests would go on until December if needed. Crowds then marched toward Place de la Bastille, where tear gas and a water cannon were used and some protesters threw projectiles at riot police.
Belgium and Italy
In Liège, Belgium, the mayor banned public gatherings until midnight on Oct. 16, citing a risk of further clashes and vandalism. On Wednesday, police used water cannon and tear gas against several hundred protesters, and nearly 90 people were arrested. In Italy, student protests have spread to several cities, with activists explicitly invoking the French movement.
