French Student Blockades Affect 338 Schools Nationwide

The education ministry said 338 French schools were affected by student protests or disruptions Tuesday, with 40 blockaded and 44 facing attempted blockades. Police made 40 arrests and 10 students and staff were wounded. About 11 percent of teachers and school staff struck. Students barricaded entrances in Rennes, Paris, Lille and Nantes and set bins alight in Rennes and Lille; objects were thrown at police, who fired tear gas. Grievances included overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, timetables, class sizes and overheated rooms. The draft 2027 budget is due two days after the protests. CGT leader Sophie Binet said the anger is immense and warned the government must revise a draft budget she called dangerous and driving the country into recession at 200 kilometres an hour. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said excesses cannot be tolerated after 164 Monday arrests. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu called high-school escalation irresponsible. LFI mayor Bally Bagayoko called the protests completely legitimate and said sometimes violence can be legitimate but is better avoided. Student Victoire said children of the suburbs are abandoned and neglected. Unions cite a 2-billion-euro savings push in a wider 54-billion-euro austerity drive.