French Student Protests Spread Nationwide as 24 Schools Vandalized

French high school students are protesting nationwide, demanding better learning conditions, with 24 educational institutions vandalized or set on fire since the protests began, according to Education Minister Édouard Geffray. On Monday, October 5, classes will be fully or partially suspended in 400–500 high schools, roughly one in eight of France's 3,700 such institutions. Since the protests started, 78 education staff members have been injured, and over 700 schools have been affected. The movement began in mid-September in the Île-de-France region and spread nationwide. Students complain about overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, poor building conditions, and overloaded schedules. Clashes with police, arson, and vandalism have occurred, with about 5,000 people, mostly teenagers, detained in the past week.