Student protests in France leave 76 injured

Dozens of people have been injured so far in a wave of student protests in France. Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced this on Wednesday, as students continue to protest against school buildings in poor condition, insufficient funding and stressful exams.

Television footage showed police lined up in Lyon. In other footage, pupils were seen gathering outside their schools in Lille and Saint-Denis, north of Paris.

In Lille and Lyon, protesters set fire to rubbish bins and other objects, while in Lille some threw objects at the security forces.

“Since these protests began, we have 76 injured, both among students and among staff,” the minister said.

The demonstrations and school occupations, which began last week and coincided with a broader public-sector strike on Tuesday, have become a political flashpoint at a particularly sensitive time for France.

On Thursday, the government will present the country’s budget for 2027, which is expected to include spending cuts aimed at reducing pressure on public finances.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said around 440 people were arrested during Tuesday’s protests, most of them minors.