France: Hundreds of high schools shut as student protests demand education reform

Student protests across France have significantly escalated, marked by widespread arrests exceeding 5,000, extensive school closures (hundreds of high schools, 400-500 middle schools), and increasing violence including property damage, arson, and assaults. The unrest is primarily driven by education budget cuts, teacher shortages, and deteriorating school conditions, with demands for systemic reform. The situation is confirmed to be a significant domestic political crisis, with high confidence in the scale of disruption and arrests, but specific government responses and the full extent of injuries remain less clear.