Student blockades spread as government faces coalition of anger
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High school protests have escalated into a nationwide mobilization across France, with thousands of students, unions, and teachers joining the movement. The government is reportedly stunned and paralyzed by the scale of the unrest, appearing to prioritize a police response as tensions continue to rise after nearly three weeks of actions.
Amidst the escalating demonstrations, a 14-year-old student named Eden was seriously injured in the face by a police projectile, prompting his parents to file a complaint for attempted voluntary homicide. Another teenager in Lens suffered a severe hand injury during protest-related activities. Students and university counterparts have presented a joint platform of demands, including calls for less demanding school days, cooler classrooms, and a revision of the Parcoursup university admissions system.
In response to the growing unrest and articulated demands, Minister of National Education Édouard Geffray is meeting with student unions and school management, and has launched a national consultation for high school students. Meanwhile, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, de facto leader of La France Insoumise (LFI), has accused Nathanaël Combary, a spokesperson for the high school protest movement, of masking his political engagements.