French Student Protests Escalate: Clashes, Fires, and Arrests Spread

Student protests in France have escalated into a second day of violence, with clashes, fires, and mass arrests causing millions of euros in damage. A third day of mobilization is planned for Tuesday, just seven months before the presidential election. Around twenty university campuses have been closed, with unrest spreading to other cities including Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Strasbourg. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez condemned an attack on a police officer in Belfort, while Education Minister Edouard Géffray reported over 100 schools damaged and 65 staff injured this week. In Paris, entrances to several high schools were set on fire, including the Lycée Roger Verlomme. In Marseille, a 15-year-old was arrested for making death threats against a former teacher on social media.