More than 160 people were arrested during protests at schools across multiple French cities, authorities said. The demonstrations, which began Friday and escalated into violence, affected approximately 180 educational institutions, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said.
The majority of affected schools were located in the Créteil and Versailles districts near Paris, though protests also occurred in Lille, Lyon, Grenoble, and Nice. Students blocked some schools entirely during the week-long action.
The protests centered on poor school equipment, overcrowded classrooms, and insufficient teaching staff. Students in suburban schools highlighted disparities compared to institutions in central Paris areas.
According to Nunez's preliminary account, twelve security personnel were injured during Monday's demonstrations. Eight teachers, including three school principals, were also injured, along with approximately a dozen secondary school students.
Nunez characterized the events as "violence in its purest form," stating that participants were masked, armed with projectiles, and clearly intended to confront security forces. He said the incidents were not typical demonstrations but rather urban violence that could not be tolerated.
"These were not demands, it was really often violence," Nunez said, adding that authorities could not allow excesses or permit circumventing democratic institutions through violence.
Police opened investigations into the incidents. Prime Minister Lecornu accused the left-wing party "La France insoumise" of inciting an expansion of the protests, though he acknowledged that school problems needed to be addressed.
Authorities expressed concern that protests would continue. Tuesday was expected to see further demonstrations, coinciding with a national public sector strike day in France.