France’s Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has warned that any escalation of the current wave of student protests would be “irresponsible” after 164 people were arrested on Monday.
The demonstrations began in Paris and have seen teenage students blockading their schools for days, driven by concerns over overcrowded classes, teacher shortages and deteriorating facilities.
Lecornu accused radicals of prompting violence, noting incidents of fireworks, fires and clashes near high schools, arguing that “nothing justifies endangering students, staff or police officers.”
In contrast, the Union Syndicale Lycéenne defended the protests as a legitimate response to years of austerity, citing 10 years of Macron’s policies as root causes.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that 12 security officers, 12 students and three staff members were injured, and that 180 schools were affected. He characterised the disturbances as a form of urban violence, calling them “not very typical protest movements.”
The protests have spread to regions including Alpes‑Maritimes, Var, Marseille, Lille and Sedan, with vandalism and fireworks aimed at police reported.
Both sides called for calm. Lecornu said the difficulties faced by high schools must be heard, but that violence must be condemned unequivocally. He also accused the far‑left LFI party of urging students to expand the movement.
LFI’s leader Jean‑Luc Mélenchon retorted that the government had ordered the crackdown and that students involved were “harmless.”
Investigations are underway after reports of a police officer firing a round from a crowd‑control grenade launcher at a high school student. The incident underscores the heightened tensions surrounding the unrest.
