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Saturday, Oct 3, 2026

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France Orders Parents to Pay for School Protest Damage as Arrests Top 5,000

France's justice minister ordered parents held financially liable for damage during student protests, calling the measure "far more useful than locking them up," as arrests exceeded 5,000 in a week. About 90% of those arrested were minors.

The movement has disrupted or blocked 1,207 high schools at some point, Education Minister Edouard Geffray told BFMTV. Students are demanding more teachers, better equipment and school renovations, citing overcrowded classrooms, long school days and deteriorating buildings. Protesters set fire to at least two schools, while Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported seven incidents involving hydrochloric acid thrown at law enforcement officers.

Amnesty International accused French authorities of excessive force against teenage protesters and urged dialogue and de-escalation. "They must be protected, not beaten with batons," the group said. It also described violence by some protesters as "unacceptable" and said police force must remain proportionate. France Unbowed denied allegations that it helped start the movement while expressing solidarity with demonstrators.

Image via @afp on X
Earlier version from Tuesday, Sep 29
Amnesty Accuses France of Excessive Force Against High School Protesters
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