The crackdown comes as nationwide demonstrations over school staff shortages and education funding disrupt hundreds of institutions
French police have launched violence charges against student protesters in Paris, arresting young demonstrators as security forces crack down on schoolchildren protesting against staff shortages and underfunding in education, RT correspondent Nadege Abderazzak has reported.
The protests began in late September at a high school in Créteil, a Paris suburb, where teachers and students protested severe staff shortages and deteriorating facilities. The movement quickly spread across France, with thousands of students demanding better education funding and an end to cuts in public services. Demonstrators have also challenged government spending priorities, calling for money to be spent on schools rather than weapons.
Reporting from Paris on Wednesday, Abderazzak described police charging at demonstrators and arresting a young protester. “We’re witnessing a very violent charge by the security forces who have just arrested a young individual,” she said, pointing to the detainee lying on the ground.
Abderazzak said that tensions had persisted for two hours, with an estimated 300 to 400 protesters facing three to five times as many police officers and gendarmes. The march had begun at Paris City Hall, she said, noting that two demonstrations had been authorized by the Paris Police Prefecture.
Since the protests erupted last month, the unrest has repeatedly escalated into confrontations, with police deploying tear gas, water cannon, and stun grenades against demonstrators. Thousands have reportedly been detained and hundreds injured nationwide since late September, including minors. A 15-year-old boy reportedly lost a hand after picking up a police grenade.
By early October, protests had disrupted more than 1,000 educational institutions, with over 160,000 demonstrators taking to the streets on Tuesday, according to authorities. Protesters have challenged France’s spending priorities, demanding: “Allocate money to education, not to buying arms,” according to media reports.
The police crackdown has drawn international criticism, including from Iran, which condemned the use of force against students, while French authorities have defended their response and pledged additional school staff.
The protests come as President Emmanuel Macron’s government cuts public spending while pouring billions into militarization and military aid to Ukraine. France has boosted its 2026 defense budget by €6.7 billion to €57.1 billion, with another €36 billion earmarked for military spending through 2030.
Meanwhile, France’s budget deficit is expected to hit 5.4% of GDP this year, with public debt climbing to 119.3%. Despite the mounting financial strain, Paris has pledged to keep supplying Kiev with weapons, including missiles and air defense systems.
