Police have made around 2,000 arrests and scores of people have been injured as student protests spread across France. Ministers have called for a “day of dialogue” but students have called for further strike action.
The article has very little on why the students are protesting, only this: “The protests against teacher shortages, dilapidated school buildings and a lack of learning materials erupted at lycées (equivalent to US high schools) in the Paris region last month before spreading across the country this week.”
From what my friend who lives in France told me, it was mainly the overall rising cost of schools becoming unaffordable
Thanks, I read the whole article and it was all about the student’s violence, and police. I really wanted, and suspect most people would want to know why are they protesting. Turns out, knowing that, and it’s really easy to know which side one should support. As usual, and obviously, The Students.
So protesting austerity. Makes sense.
In fact, it’s hard to know if their is a common revendication. This is a Gilet Jaune situation : no organisation and root based movement. As pointed, austerity made the education even more unequal and the new process for superior education rise a lot of anxiety. However, the strike and mobilisation of trade union of the public sector on Tuesday was a record, and students was already their to support. Some of them has been arrested during this declared demonstration
Some people expect a Gilet Jaune Reborn on October 17th, and it may have helped students to mobilize. October 17th is a commemoration day of racist slaughter made by the police too, and another mobilization against cop violence is taking place in France.
The only clear message that we heard of students was “Siamo Tutti Antifascisti” and “ACAB”. I’m convinced
Right wing PM trying to say it’s both initiated by the left wing party and being infiltrated and coopted by ‘violent individuals?’
Edit: Actually ‘violent individuals’ guy is a separate minister, my bad
I’m glad to see the art isn’t lost 🩷
