Hundreds of schools closed in riots as French students protest lack of funding published at 09:55 BST09:55 BST Image source, Reuters More than 400 schools across France have been closed as the French government says student protests have turned into “urban violence”. Sixty-five staff were injured in the riots and “significant damage” has occurred to school facilities, with classes now being held remotely, French Education Minister Édouard Geffray said. Protests have broken out over a lack of teachers and staff, overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings. University students also joined the demonstrations on Thursday. The French Interior Ministry says 1,949 people were arrested and 305 police officers were injured. Blockades and protests in French high schools – for students aged 15 to 18 – began last week before spreading to hundreds of schools across the country. So far, 1,027 high schools have been affected by the demonstrations, with blockades in 222 of them, according to the Ministry of the Interior. At least 30 universities have also been blocked, including the Rennes and Paris campuses. We will be following events throughout the day; stay with us.
