France School Protests: Left Leader Mélenchon and Education Minister Clash

As students protest deteriorating conditions, left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon condemned police actions while the education minister accused him of stoking unrest.

Against the backdrop of widespread school closures in France, tensions are mounting over educational conditions and the police response. High school students are demonstrating against neglected facilities, severe teacher shortages, and overcrowded classrooms, with university students also joining the demonstrations, Dutch network NOS and Nigerian broadcaster Channels TV reported.

According to NOS, far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon of La France Insoumise described police actions during the demonstrations as "disproportionate" and "unacceptable." In response, Education Minister Édouard Geffray accused him of fueling the teenagers' anger. The network added that 78 school staff members have been injured in the unrest, and 85 percent of the more than 5,000 detainees are minors. Further details have not yet been released.