France Deploys 70,000 Police as Students Call Fresh Protests Over Schools

Students in France have called fresh protests demanding adequate funding for schools, the recruitment of more teachers, and a greater say in decisions that affect their future. To prevent violence, the Interior Ministry has announced the deployment of 70,000 police officers across the country.

Since mid-September, French high school students have been protesting against a teacher shortage, overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated school buildings. In many classrooms, they say, more than 40 students are taught together.

During violence at last week's protests, police arrested more than two hundred people. After that experience, the government has taken extensive security preparations in advance of this round of demonstrations.

A presidential election is due in France in six months. At such a tense political moment, student anger has grown into a nationwide movement, creating fresh pressure on the government.

Sumaya Sare, 18, is a leading spokesperson for a federation of high school students from working-class neighbourhoods. She said: 'For years we have only been given promises, and none of them have been kept. We want to see real results alongside the promises. We want to see real change in our high schools.'

The French government, meanwhile, has announced a tough stance to prevent violent protests. Fearing vandalism, several museums and tourist sites will stay closed on Saturday, including Paris's famous Louvre and Orsay museums.

Many shops and businesses in the capital are also being boarded up with wooden planks for protection, so that damage can be avoided if the protests turn violent.

France's interior minister said the government would deploy 70,000 police and gendarmes on city streets on Saturday. The gendarmes are military personnel serving within the national police force.

Riot police and other specialised elite units will be brought in for the deployment. Even police trainees are being attached as support, underlining the scale of the preparations.

Interior Minister Nunez strongly condemned the vandalism and looting during last weekend's protests. He said: 'The authorities will take a hard line against those who carry out vandalism and looting and those involved in various violent activities — there will be no concessions.'

He added: 'What happened on 17 October is in no way acceptable. We will maintain full control to ensure that this kind of looting and attacks on government buildings do not happen again.'

With students' demands on one side and the government's security preparations on the other, tension is running high across France ahead of Saturday's programme. All eyes are now on whether the protests remain peaceful.