Demonstrations took place across the country. In some cases, they escalated into clashes or violence. Several hundred people were detained. Police officers are being investigated in 18 cases for excessive force and other irregularities, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
In the city of Lens, a 15-year-old boy was injured by a stun grenade, a “flashbang,” thrown by police. The use of such grenades has been suspended “until what happened in this case has been investigated,” Nuñez told RTL. The minister stressed that police would intervene, but that their response must be proportionate.
According to the Interior Ministry, more than 260,000 people demonstrated in France on Tuesday. Organizers put the figure as high as 450,000.
Early on Wednesday, protests were reported in some places, especially in Paris, where students were blocking entrances to several schools.
The government has proposed scrapping the schedule for the rest of the week at the country’s schools so they can instead hold discussion forums where dissatisfied students and employees can air their grievances. The proposal has so far been dismissed as insufficient. Student organizations and unions have announced new coordinated protests for Thursday.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will give a televised speech about, among other things, the school protests at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
