Clashes broke out between police and protesters during protests by thousands of students in France against education standards and conditions in schools.
More than 700 schools across the country were affected by the protests, while there were also incidents of arson on the streets.
The protesters are demonstrating against teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated school buildings.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 1,747 people were arrested on Friday. According to him, the situation in the country is moving towards “riots and urban violence”, and all available measures are being taken to end it.
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said: “The protest has now gone beyond high school students’ demonstrations and become a public order problem.” According to him, 735 of the country’s 3,700 schools have been affected in some way by these violent protests.
The protests began in Paris last week and have now spread to other cities, including Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille.
Students say school hours are too long, classrooms are too hot and many staff members are absent from work.
French Education Minister Édouard Geffray alleged that “this student movement has been exploited by non-students for their own purposes.”
The protests come as the government’s proposed budget cuts will also affect funding for education, which has caused deep anger among the young protesters.
Parents also fear their children could be caught up in the violence and unrest during the protests.
Several French trade unions have backed the student protests. The union federation Solidaires said in a statement, “We must not let our children be attacked,” adding that “secondary school students have the right to assemble, organise and demonstrate.”
