French high school students staged nationwide protests on Tuesday, demanding better funding and classroom conditions as clashes with police left hundreds injured and thousands arrested.
A 15-year-old lost his hand in the northern town of Lens on Monday after picking up a police dispersal grenade that detonated, local officials and the regional newspaper *La Voix du Nord* reported . The incident occurred as protests entered their third week, with authorities confirming over 200 students injured since demonstrations began in mid-September .
France’s Justice Ministry said 5,060 people have been arrested since the protests started, with 87% of them minors . Education Minister Edouard Geffray stated that 400 to 500 schools remained fully or partially closed due to damage or safety concerns, while at least 24 schools were burned or looted .
Tens of thousands of protesters were expected in Paris and other major cities on Tuesday, with trade unions and university students joining the demonstrations . Rights groups, including Amnesty International, accused police of using excessive force, citing the use of batons, tear gas, and flash-ball guns against minors . Authorities have opened multiple investigations into police conduct, including the case of a 16-year-old who suffered an eye injury after rubber bullets were fired into a crowd .
The protests began in the Paris region in mid-September over staff shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and dilapidated school buildings, later spreading nationwide . Students have rejected government claims that far-left groups are stoking the unrest, insisting their movement addresses long-standing educational inequalities .
