Paris, Oct. 2 (SANA) Approximately 400 high schools across France were forced to close Friday as weeklong student protests over school conditions deteriorated into violent clashes, resulting in dozens of injured school personnel and nearly 2,000 police detentions.
In an interview with BFM TV, French Education Minister Édouard Geffray warned that the high school movement had been hijacked by hyper-violent fringe groups. Geffray confirmed that roughly 400 of the nation’s 3,700 high schools were expected to remain shuttered on Friday, with numerous institutions—particularly in the southern city of Marseille—transitioning to distance learning to preserve operational continuity.
Geffray disclosed that at least 65 education staff members have been injured since the unrest began last week, including 40 high school principals. He urged parents to exercise clear responsibility by directing their children to refrain from participating in street demonstrations.
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that he has instructed public prosecutors to hold parents financially accountable for damages caused by minors during the demonstrations, requiring families to pay direct repair costs. Darmanin noted that police have taken nearly 2,000 individuals into custody since the start of the movement, approximately 90 percent of whom are minors.
The wave of student unrest erupted last week across the Greater Paris region before spreading rapidly nationwide. Senior high school students blocked campus entrances and engaged in recurring skirmishes with law enforcement personnel.
Demonstrators cite excessively long school days, inadequate classroom infrastructure—including severe overheating during warmer months—and persistent staff shortages as primary grievances. While government officials acknowledged the underlying administrative concerns as legitimate, they reiterated a zero-tolerance policy toward escalating public violence.
Kh.A / H.H
