French police intervene to break up student protests in front of schools and universities

French police intervened to break up student protests in front of schools and universities in Paris and Lyon, coinciding with a general strike and widespread union demonstrations protesting living conditions and demanding better wages. The Interior Ministry announced the participation of about 600,000 people, while the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) estimated the number at about 1.6 million.

French police intervened on Thursday to break up student protests in front of several high schools and universities in France, coinciding with a general strike and widespread union demonstrations protesting living conditions and demanding better wages and enhanced public services. In the capital Paris, police forces intervened in front of the "Hélène Boucher" high school east of the city, after students blocked the institution's entrance using garbage containers, and demanded they clear the area before removing the barriers, while students continued chanting protest slogans. The site saw brief friction between police and a number of students. The movements extended to other cities, including Lyon, where demonstrations saw confrontations between protesters and police forces who used tear gas to disperse gatherings, amid disruptions affecting public transportation. The student protests coincided with a general strike called by French trade unions, involving employees, workers, and students, demanding better wages, raising the minimum wage, enhancing funding for public services, and opposing austerity measures and government spending cuts. The Interior Ministry announced the participation of about 600,000 people in the movements nationwide, while the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) estimated the number of participants at about 1.6 million. Authorities also announced the deployment of about 70,000 police and gendarmerie personnel.