France Protests: Students Protests Over Education Crisis, Accuse Police Of Excessive Force

Student protests over France’s education system have spread beyond schools at the centre of the movement, with demonstrators in Paris dragging bins outside high schools in solidarity with peers across the country. Protesters are demanding better school infrastructure, more teachers, increased funding and equal access to quality education. The demonstrations have also triggered allegations of police violence, while the Education Ministry reported that 375 schools were fully or partially closed on Thursday. With France heading towards a presidential election in April, the unrest is intensifying scrutiny of the government’s response to youth discontent.