A nationwide day of action was called for Tuesday in France to protest against the broken education system. Hundreds of thousands of people joined demonstrations and thousands of schools were blocked.

In France, hundreds of thousands of students demonstrated on Tuesday against overcrowded classes, dilapidated infrastructure and a broken education system. Protests have been raging for about two weeks now. These originally started in the suburbs of Paris and then quickly spread to the entire country.

A day of protest was called for across the country on Tuesday. According to the student association L’Union Etudiante, around 2,000 people followed this call450,000 peoplethroughout France. However, it is not just students: various unions - including associations of teachers, farmers, and the General Confederation of Trade Unions CGT - also called for people to join the protests.

The movement also receives support from the left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI). Not only had party leaderJean-Luc Melenchoncalled for the protests to continue. He – as well as many of his party colleagues – also took part in protests in many places on Tuesday.

Thousands of schools blocked

The day of action is not only to be understood as a day of protest, but also as a day of strike. In the previous days, students had repeatedly gone on strike and blocked schools. This took on completely new dimensions on Tuesday: The high school union USL speaks of 1,800 high schools nationwide that were either blocked or closed as a precaution. In total, 90 percent of universities in France were blocked.

In many places, schools tried to get around the blockade by keeping the buildings locked and teaching online instead. But students also went on strike during online classes.

These school closures also have the effect that the protests are shifting to other places. In Strasbourg, for example, the university was blocked instead - many students also joined the protests across the country.

Police violence and thousands of arrests during student protests in France

Angry protests across the country

The protests are also moving to the cities, where numerous protest marches have been carried out. According to the organizers, people took part in the largest demonstration in Paris alonearound 100,000 peopleat a protest march. Tens of thousands also took part in demonstrations in many other major cities.

The protests take different forms. While there is a combative mood everywhere and this is expressed through slogans, signs and flags, the anger of French students also comes to light in other ways. Stones and fireworks are flying in many places, sometimes in the direction of the police. Many protesters also push garbage cans in front of them and sometimes set them on fire. There are also repeated reports of general damage to property in inner cities.

While the government and especially right-wing parties are using these circumstances to defame the protesters and their motives, this shows above all how great the anger is that has built up among French youth. The anger against a broken education system, the anger against social and economic injustices that also flow into the protest and especially the anger against the police.

Police violence remains on the agenda

In the past few days, this has repeatedly been noticed with enormous violence against the protesters. The use of batons and especially tear gas became standard.A teacher reportedfor example, of students crying and coughing because of the sheer amounts of tear gas that entered the school grounds.

But in the past few days the police have always gone beyond the usual means against demonstrators. In many places, rifles with rubber bullets, as well as stun and gas grenades are used. These always lead to injuries, which so far culminated on Monday morning. Here, a 15-year-old student's hand and parts of his forearm were damaged by a police stun grenadeblasted off.

The police continued to use a lot of force on Tuesday. In particular, the use of tear gas and pepper spray remains a constant in the protests. “The paramedics are constantly rinsing out their eyes,” reports a demonstrator from Strasbourg. Likewise, physical violence – with and without clubs – is repeatedly used to push back demonstrations or to try to break them up.

The government is now defending police violence. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the use of rubber bullets and grenades was “relativelyHe further explains: “One cannot speak of police repression here.”

France's student protests expand - 15-year-old's forearm torn

Solidarity beyond students

The police violence not only causes further escalations of the protests, but also solidarity between the protesters. This is evident not only in the form of expressions of solidarity, but also in practical terms.

For example, trade unionists in Strasbourg formed a protective human chain in front of protesting young people when they confronted the police. There are also repeated reports of parents who protect their children. Examples of how the protest cannot be stopped by supposed generational boundaries.

Overall, the protest continues to extend beyond the French student body. In many places, students and various unions are joining the protests and actively calling for them.

The Rassemblement National (RN) in particular acts in direct contrast. The fascist party repeatedly uses the protests to engage in racist agitation and tries to divide the protesters.

Government tries to appease – further protests announced

Meanwhile, the government is desperately trying to get the protests under control. On the one hand, they rely on the police to act harshly, but on the other hand, they try to interveneappease. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu instructed his ministries on Sunday to introduce improvements for students.

He also emphasizes that one must listen to their legitimate concerns. For this purpose, the government recently opened an online platform where students can submit complaints and problems as well as their demands. However, the students are not particularly enthusiastic about this so far.

The government's two-pronged approach is probably best at the momentSabrina Roubacheto the point, she is the Minister for Training. “We need to listen to what young people are telling us,” she explained on Tuesday, before in the same breath declaring that students should consider themselves lucky to live in a country with free education and healthcare systems. She also simply dismisses allegations of police violence, saying there is “very high levels of violence from young people”.

The extent of the protests on Tuesday shows that this strategy has not had a particularly big impact so far. But that's not enough, the next day of action has already been announced for October 17th. Both students and trade unions are also calling for this - hundreds of thousands of demonstrators are expected again.

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