French Schools Face Mass Closures as Student Protests Spread

Between 400 and 500 French high schools will be fully or partly closed on Monday due to nationwide student protests, with Education Minister Edouard Geffray blaming far-left infiltrators for hijacking the movement and turning it violent. Geffray said security conditions are unmet at those schools, describing closures as a safety step ahead of Tuesday's planned demonstrations. He noted 24 schools have been burned or ransacked, 78 education workers injured, and over 5,000 people arrested, 85 percent of them minors. The protests began September 17 over teacher absences, long school days, and poor building conditions. Two incidents shocked officials: a teacher was hit and covered in gasoline, and a police officer was beaten on the ground. Amnesty France condemned disproportionate police violence, while Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu proposed a timetable to address staffing and infrastructure gaps.