Paris, Oct. 3 (SANA) French authorities arrested 1,747 people on Friday during nationwide protests and blockades at high schools, bringing the number of arrests since Monday to more than 5,000, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said.
The protests, which began in the Paris region before spreading across France, have been driven by demands for better conditions in schools, including more teachers and staff, improved facilities and changes to school schedules.
Nuñez said 735 educational institutions were affected by Friday’s mobilization, about 30% fewer than the previous day, while incidents described by authorities as “urban violence” were reported near 158 schools.
Those incidents included projectiles being thrown and confrontations involving security forces, teachers, journalists and passers-by, Nuñez said.
More than 400 high schools were closed on Friday because of damage or security concerns, while many others switched to remote learning. Education Minister Édouard Geffray said 65 education staff members, including 40 headteachers, had been injured since the protests began.
Student organizations, which have distanced themselves from the violence, called for the mobilization to continue on Tuesday after meeting Geffray on Friday.
The protests have also become the subject of a political dispute. Government figures and politicians on the right have accused the left-wing France Unbowed (LFI) party of encouraging unrest, while LFI representatives have criticized the government’s handling of the demonstrations and the police response.
FJ/MZ
