Almost 2,000 French Schools Blockaded or Closed as Student Protests Spread Across France

France is facing another day of widespread student protests, with demonstrations taking place across the country over what pupils, parents and trade unions describe as years of under-investment in education.

The Union Syndicale Lycéenne (USL), one of the groups organising the protests, claims that around 1,800 high schools are currently blockaded or closed and that around 90% of universities are also affected.

Those figures are claims made by the student union and have not been independently verified.

Demonstrations are taking place in more than 30 towns and cities, including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Lille and Nantes.

The protests began with high school students but have since expanded to include university students, teachers, parents and trade unions.

What are students protesting about?

The demonstrations centre on concerns about the state of France's education system.

Students and teachers have highlighted:

• Overcrowded classrooms

• Teacher and staff shortages

• Long school days

• Ageing and deteriorating school buildings

• Delays in replacing absent teachers

• What protesters describe as years of inadequate investment

The USL is calling for 150,000 additional places in higher education, €10bn for emergency reconstruction of schools and what it describes as "mass hiring" of teachers.

One of the recurring complaints is classroom overcrowding, with some students reporting classes containing around 40 pupils.

Parents have also joined demonstrations, with some saying they are concerned about the length of the school day their children face.

Protests spread across France

Thousands of people have gathered in cities including Marseille, where a large demonstration moved along the Canebière towards the Old Port.

In Lille, pupils gathered outside schools while parents and university students also joined the wider movement.

In Paris, demonstrations have taken place outside schools including the Lycée Sophie-Germain, while up to 40,000 people were expected to join a march in the capital.

The protests have also reached university campuses.

The movement has been supported by some trade unions and other groups, although some student protesters have stressed that their campaign is primarily about education rather than party politics.

Some demonstrations descend into violence

While many protests have remained peaceful, there have also been serious incidents.

Police and protesters have clashed in several locations, including Strasbourg, where reports said fireworks and firecrackers were thrown towards officers.

Bins were set on fire in Lille, while barricades have been constructed outside some schools.

Authorities say more than 215 students have been injured since the protests began, while more than 5,000 people have been arrested over the past week.

Several schools have also reportedly been set on fire.

The most serious recent incident involved a 15-year-old boy in Lens who lost his hand after a sting-ball grenade exploded during a confrontation involving protesters and police.

Accounts of exactly what happened differ.

French authorities said the teenager picked up the device, while some students claimed he was struck directly after an officer fired it.

An investigation by France's police watchdog, the General Inspection of the National Police (IGPN), has been announced.

Concerns over police response

The police response has itself become part of the controversy.

France's National Consultative Commission on Human Rights has expressed "serious concern" about what it described as the potentially disproportionate use of force and procedural abuses.

The organisation has called for greater dialogue and a de-escalation strategy, while stressing that children must be able to express their views freely.

Amnesty International has also criticised what it described as a disproportionate police response.

The French Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, said 10 internal investigations into allegations of police brutality had been opened since the protests began.

At the same time, government ministers have condemned violence and disorder during the demonstrations.

Government attempts to respond

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has ordered ministers to address some of the protesters' demands.

The government is examining issues including the replacement of absent teachers, the length of the school day and the provision of longer lunch breaks.

Ministers have also been instructed to examine the condition of ageing school buildings.

Education Minister Édouard Geffray has launched a national consultation allowing high school students to put forward their views about how education should be improved.

The government says the consultation is intended to listen to students and develop practical proposals.

A difficult political challenge

The protests come at a difficult time for the French government.

France is under pressure to control public spending while also facing demands for greater investment in public services.

That creates a significant challenge for ministers.

The protesters are demanding additional resources for schools, teachers and higher education, while the government is simultaneously under pressure to improve the country's finances.

The issue has also taken on a wider political significance with France approaching its next presidential election.

However, many students involved in the demonstrations insist that their concerns are primarily about their everyday experience of education rather than party politics.

Students say they fear for the future

For some young protesters, the demonstrations are about more than classrooms and school buildings.

Students have spoken about wider concerns over climate change, artificial intelligence, wars and the uncertainty surrounding their future.

One 17-year-old student in Paris said she was worried about the world in which she would grow up and what it would mean for future generations.

That sense of uncertainty has become part of the wider mood surrounding the demonstrations.

What happens next?

The protests are expected to continue, with further demonstrations planned in cities across France.

The government now faces pressure to demonstrate that it can respond to legitimate concerns over education while maintaining public order and addressing allegations surrounding the police response.

For students, parents and teachers, the central issue remains the condition of France's education system.

For the government, the challenge is turning promises of consultation and investment into measures that can address those concerns without adding further pressure to public finances.

And with thousands already taking to the streets, the coming days could determine whether the movement loses momentum or develops into a much broader national campaign.

The protests remain ongoing across France.