French high school students clash with police during nationwide blockades

Violent confrontations reported Tuesday

Students set fire to rubbish bins and threw projectiles at officers who responded with tear gas. Clashes occurred in cities such as Lille, Nantes, Marseille, and Lyon while masked protesters gathered outside specific schools. Police detained hundreds of people during the escalating unrest that began last week.

Protests spread from Paris

The movement started in the Ile-de-France region before spreading to other cities nationwide. Authorities reported blockades at dozens of lycees handling final years of secondary education. Students cited issues like timetables, class sizes, and overheated classrooms as reasons for their actions.

Government response intensifies

Interior ministers stated that the demonstrations had broken out at hundreds of schools by midday Tuesday. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu described the situation as irresponsible and urged officials to postpone travel. Public sector workers including firefighters also joined strikes alongside the student protests.