French student protests spread as 1,700 detained in one day

Violent protests by French students continued on Friday, with police detaining 1,747 people in a single day and nearly 400 high schools closed, as organizers announced a new mobilization for Tuesday. The protests began on September 17 in the Paris region and have spread across France. Since the start of the week, total detentions have exceeded 5,000, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. On Friday, 735 schools were affected, with violent incidents at 158 of them, including thrown objects and attacks on police, teachers, and journalists. Authorities blame the far-left La France insoumise for the unrest, while students say they will continue until their demands are met. The Lycéens union has called for "Act III" on Tuesday, with education unions supporting the strike. Education Minister Édouard Geffray has proposed a plan to replace absent teachers faster, while the government is reviewing the school calendar.