French Student Protests Leave Over 1,000 Injured, Schools Damaged

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, French Minister of National Education Édouard Philippe announced on Wednesday that since the protests began in mid-September, 215 students and 88 educational staff members have sustained injuries. Additionally, 715 police and gendarmerie officers were also harmed during the demonstrations.

As a consequence of these unrests, 24 high schools are currently unable to reopen due to fire or severe damage, preventing approximately 30,000 students from attending in-person classes. Hundreds of other schools have also been affected, with damages estimated to cost at least 20 to 30 million euros.

In parallel, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin stated that police use of sonic grenades during student protests will be temporarily suspended. This decision follows an incident where a 15-year-old teenager lost an arm during the demonstrations. French police have also launched 18 investigations into the incidents and the methods of crowd control equipment usage.

According to figures from the French Ministry of the Interior, 6,547 individuals have been arrested in connection with these protests since September 28. Furthermore, classes at 459 schools were fully or partially suspended on Wednesday, and student unions have called for continued school closures and new demonstrations on Thursday.

The student protests, which originated in the suburbs of Paris, have now spread to various cities across France, including Paris, Nice, Lyon, and Toulouse. Demonstrators are demanding improvements in educational conditions, an increase in the number of teachers and school staff, reduced class sizes, and greater funding for education.