French student protests force closure of hundreds of schools

A protest movement that began in a Paris suburb has spread across France, forcing the closure of roughly 400 secondary schools.

• Roughly 400 of France's 3,700 lycées remained closed Friday as protests that began in Seine-Saint-Denis spread nationwide and reached universities.
• Education Minister Édouard Geffray said 65 staff, including 40 principals, had been injured and urged parents to tell their children not to attend protests.
• Authorities said some 2,000 people, most of them minors, had been detained since the protests began, with over 300 police and firefighters treated for injuries.
• Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said he asked prosecutors to hold parents liable for damage caused by their children during the protests.
• Protesters cited overcrowded classes, crumbling buildings, low teacher pay and an opaque university admissions system as reasons for their action.
• Some protesters voiced solidarity with Gaza and opposition to far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.
• The education ministry said more than 500 schools are now disrupted by the protests.
• Police fired tear gas and students threw projectiles in clashes during the ongoing protests.