Riot police clash with students as education protests rage in France

Key Points:

• Thousands of students across France have protested over education standards, disrupting more than 700 schools and leading to clashes with riot police, fires, and property damage.
• The protests, which began in Paris and spread to cities like Montpellier, Nantes, and Marseille, focus on issues such as teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and deteriorating school facilities.
• Violence escalated with a 17-year-old arrested for attempted homicide after an attack on a police officer in Belfort, and at least 65 school staff injured during the unrest.
• Authorities reported significant damage to school properties, including over €2 million in damages at a high school in Nantes, and police seized weapons like petrol bombs and an axe from demonstrators.
• French officials, including Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin and Education Minister Édouard Geffray, have condemned the violence, suggesting the protests have been hijacked by non-students, and prosecutors are considering holding parents financially responsible for damages caused by their children.