Large-scale protest actions against the education system are taking place in France

The student organization L’Union Etudiante calls the ongoing protest actions across France a "historic event." Information regarding the number of participants varies: student unions point to 450,000 protesters, while according to the French Ministry of the Interior, 86,000 people gathered nationwide. There are different reports regarding the number of demonstrators in Paris: according to 1tv, 86,000 activists gathered in Paris, while according to the Ministry of the Interior, between 20,000 and 40,000 people will participate in the demonstration. 1TV+2

Protest demonstrations, which are taking place in Marseille, Nice, Nantes, Lyon, Strasbourg, and other cities, often ended in confrontation with the police. In Paris, law enforcement officers used tear gas and pepper spray, while water cannons were used against demonstrators in the city of Rennes. According to media reports, in some cities, activists erected barricades and started fires. Formula reports that against the backdrop of the protests, about 500 educational institutions were closed and the number of detainees increased to 5,000. 1TV+5

The reasons for the protest actions are cited as problems in the education system, including a shortage of teachers and overcrowding in classrooms. At the same time, according to the BBC, during a rally held in the city of Lens, a 15-year-old teenager lost a hand after an electric grenade exploded. During clashes that occurred near Paris, two young women were injured as a result of fireworks being thrown, and two minors were detained. 1TV+3