French High School Students Lead Mass Protests over School Funding, Inequality; Thousands Arrested

By Democracy Now!

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Support our work: https://democracynow.org/donate/sm-desc-yt Nearly 2,000 French high schools are blockaded or closed today amid massive student-led protests over school funding and inequality. The demonstrations began in September at a single school in the economically deprived suburbs of Paris, where students protested teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated school buildings beset by rats, falling debris and more. But the scope of the protests has widened amid a violent crackdown by French police. French authorities have arrested more than 5,000 people, largely underage students, since the movement began. Violent police tactics have led to serious injuries. One protester lost an eye after being hit by a rubber bullet, while another lost a hand when he picked up a police stun grenade. We hear from an anonymous protester who describes the violence meted out on students, who "aren't even adults yet," and from Claire Vigneau, general secretary of Fédération Syndicale

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