Student protests continue across France as violence increases

The mobilization of French students demanding better learning conditions, which has been ongoing for days, continued on Friday as protests turned increasingly violent in some regions of the country, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

Tensions particularly rose in Strasbourg where the protests outside a high school advanced toward a campus of the University of Strasbourg after protesters were pushed back by law enforcement.

During the protest, numerous mortar fireworks were reportedly heard while gasoline was used to start a fire.

Clashes were also reported between the crowds and police close to campus with security forces dispersing protesters with tear gas after mortar fireworks were thrown.

Around a dozen rioters dressed in black were reportedly present, while high school and university students were also among the crowd.

In Paris, firefighters intervened at fires ignited at the entrances of two schools.

The police in Loire reported arrests of several individuals carrying dangerous objects including a firework stick and a glass-breaking hammer.

The prefect of Bouches-du-Rhone told BFMTV that the situation was "incomparable with yesterday,” with “far fewer protesters” on the streets of Marseille.

A total of 11 schools were “more or less affected” Friday morning, with some blockades cleared by riot police.

Prefect Jacques Witkowski said 55 high schools had switched to remote learning in the morning.

The Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region estimated that damage linked to the student mobilization amounted to €25 million ($28 million) to €30 million ($33 million).​​​​​​​

The region reportedly recorded 180 blockades over three days and 90 attacks on high schools.

Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced Thursday that “a little more than 400 schools” would be closed Friday.

The schools will remain closed “either because fire protection systems have been destroyed or because staff have been deliberately targeted,” he told France 2.

Geffray warned that the movement “changed in nature” and was “being hijacked by violent groups.”

Top government officials held an emergency meeting on Thursday afternoon, and they believe the student protests were secretly planned by the far-left political party (LFI) and groups working with it.

They also said that this was no longer a matter of blockades of high schools, but rather "urban violence," BFMTV learned from familiar sources.

Geffray also told BFMTV that 1,207 high schools were disrupted or blocked at some point during the student mobilization.

He added that more than 100 schools suffered severe damage while 65 school staff members were injured.

Alongside the closure of high schools, all prefects issued orders Thursday evening banning demonstrations near the schools on Friday, according to the Interior Ministry.

The same instruction was issued across all departments, the ministry reportedly added.

Several organizations representing the student movement, together with left-wing and far-left political groups, have called for a second round of mobilization on Oct. 6 against what they described as police “repression.”