General
French Students Massively Block High Schools; Over 440 Arrests in Large-Scale Protests
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French high school students have blocked over 400 schools nationwide to protest against teacher shortages, material deficits, and scheduling issues, resulting in at least 440 arrests. The demonstrations, involving more than 200,000 participants, escalated into violence in cities like Lille, Marseille, and Paris, where property was damaged and individuals were injured or threatened. Education Minister Édouard Geffray condemned the violence as indefensible, while union leader Ryad Rani emphasized the need for peaceful protest regarding overcrowded classrooms and resource gaps. These events coincided with teacher strikes against government budget cuts of over 54 million euros.
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