School protests, blockades resume in France despite PM’s promise to act

Dozens of people have been injured in the protests, including students, teachers, and police officers.Protests have resumed at schools across France as high school students press on with demands for more education funding and better conditions, the day after the country’s prime minister ordered ministers to provide an action plan.Reporting from Paris, Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler said university students and more trade unions have joined the nationwide protests and that a large rally is expected in the capital on Thursday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘We’re short of resources’: France’s student protesters, in their wordslist 2 of 4France halts police use of stun grenades at student protestslist 3 of 4Over 100 arrested in Belgium student protests over education costslist 4 of 4How much does France spend on education?end of list“They are moving around, trying to block off the streets,” Butler said from outside one school, where university students were barricading a large area.“They are out, they say, in solidarity with high school students because they say it’s important that as many young people join in the protests as possible,” she added.The wave of protests began in a high school in a deprived area of Paris on September 21 . Tens of thousands of students across the country have since marched with a range of demands, from renovated school buildings to fewer classroom hours.Police response under scrutinyRights groups have accused security officials of using disproportionate force against protesters.Several demonstrators have been injured, including one teenager who lost a hand and another whose jaw was shattered by an exploding stun grenade. They have since been banned at marches.police officers and teachers have also been injured, authorities say, accusing students of committing violent acts. At least 6,600 arrests – mostly of minors – have been made so far, according to the Interior Ministry.