Student Protests in France Escalate.. Schools Close, Universities Join, and Police Face Street Unrest

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Student protests in France entered a new phase of escalation on Tuesday, October 6, with the organization of a large national protest considered the largest since the movement began in mid-September. Thousands of students, teachers, and parents took to the streets in several cities, while hundreds of educational institutions were closed or disrupted, amid heavy security presence in anticipation of new confrontations.

According to organizers, 260,000 people demonstrated in Paris in support of the student protests, while the latest figures announced by French authorities indicated that morning movements in several areas saw participation of about 86,000 people, while a large gathering was expected in Paris in the afternoon. The Ministry of Education announced that 891 educational institutions experienced a complete or partial suspension of classes on Tuesday. Other sources indicate that the movement has led to the closure or disruption of an even greater number of schools across the country since its inception.

A notable new development in today's protests is the clearer involvement of university students in the movement. In Clermont-Ferrand, for example, a university site was closed, while students, professors, and parents participated in solidarity marches with high school students. In Paris, it was also reported that Paris-Dauphine University was closed and classes were suspended for the entire day.

The French Student Union indicates an expansion of movements within universities, announcing on Tuesday morning that more than 57 university sites were closed or besieged, a figure provided by the organizing body of the movement and not an independent government figure.

The main demands revolve around the shortage of teachers, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating buildings and facilities, long school hours, and lack of resources. Students also express their concerns about their academic and professional futures and the university admission system "Parcoursup," which they find complicated and not clear enough.

The government claims that it has already begun to address some of these issues. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has outlined five areas of action, including accelerating the compensation for absent teachers, improving the conditions of school buildings and preparing for heatwaves, reconsidering the organization of the school day, making "Parcoursup" more transparent, and enhancing student participation in decisions related to their school lives.

In a new step announced today, the French Ministry of Education has opened a national consultation for students via the "Agora" platform, which will last until October 23, aiming to directly listen to students' complaints and suggestions. The ministry stated that the results of the consultation will be collected and presented at the end of the month, while the government has pledged to provide the first practical decisions along with their funding and timeline before the end of October.

However, the government dialogue has not prevented protests from continuing, as student and union organizations believe that the measures announced so far do not adequately respond to the scale of the problems that have driven students to the streets. Therefore, the mobilization on October 6 has turned into a real test of the government's ability to contain the movement before it expands further.

The most serious developments in recent days have been the occurrence of serious injuries during clashes between some protesters and security forces. A 15-year-old boy sustained severe injuries to his hand in the city of Lens in northern France due to the explosion of a grenade used by the police to disperse demonstrators, according to authorities and French media sources, while the details surrounding the incident are still under investigation.

In recent weeks, thousands of arrests have taken place, with most of those arrested being minors, while a large number of police officers and demonstrators have been injured. Authorities say that the interventions by security forces aim to prevent acts of violence and vandalism, while human rights organizations and experts in student affairs criticize the use of force in dealing with minors.

In the capital, a large security presence has been deployed in preparation for the main march, while cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Nantes, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Rennes, and Nîmes have witnessed varying degrees of movements and protests. While some marches proceeded peacefully, other areas experienced clashes and the use of tear gas.

These developments come at a politically sensitive time for France, just months before the presidential elections scheduled for 2027. The government is trying to address educational demands on one hand, while maintaining security and preventing acts of vandalism on the other, as protests begin to shift from local student movements to a broader movement that includes school and university students, teachers, unions, and parents.