France braces for new protests after week of violence

Following a week marked by severe disturbances, France is preparing for a potential escalation in protest activity. Wider backing from labor unions is expected to broaden the scope of demonstrations beyond the student movement itself.

Violence subsides temporarily

The situation had calmed down during the early part of the week following days of intense disorder. These episodes featured scenes of violence, including assaults on teachers, injuries to police officers, and the arson of garbage containers and vehicles.

Many individuals sustained injuries, while the unrest resulted in significant property damage estimated at millions of euros.

Schools face partial or total closure

On Sunday, the French Education Minister announced that classes would be suspended "totally or partially" on Monday in between 400 and 500 secondary schools where "safety conditions are not met." He stated that 24 educational institutions had been subjected to "burning or vandalism."

Speaking via France 2 television and France Inter radio, Minister Edouard Geffray clarified that "between 400 and 500 schools suspended classes" on Friday. He noted that "the number will likely be similar on Monday, but with a partial and gradual resumption of lessons."

Geffray also expressed regret over the injury of "78 workers" in the education sector "since the start of the events." He explained that school closures are decided when "safety conditions are not available," whether due to issues with buildings and equipment or because staff members were "directly targeted."

Minister blames far-left activists

The minister asserted that "activists, particularly from the far left, infiltrated the student movement and seized control from high school students, acting with extreme violence." He emphasized that this clearly endangers both employees and pupils.

"78 people working in the education sector were injured, which is something we have never seen before," Geffray said. "They were subjected to deliberate attacks because they work in the education sector."