Massive student-led protests have brought European cities to a standstill, with demonstrators occupying schools and blocking entrances to demand government action on education conditions. In Paris, hundreds of pupils—including a 17-year-old baccalaureate student—have staged a two-day blockade at a high school, cancelling classes to amplify their frustration over poor learning environments. The unrest marks one of the most significant challenges to authorities in months, catching officials off guard as youth activism intensifies. With students refusing to return to classes until their concerns are addressed, the movement raises questions about whether broader public support will swell behind the demonstrations.
Government struggling to deal with worst crisis in months after being taken by surprise by massive demonstrationsEurope live – latest updatesAs dozens of school pupils sat on top of a pile of wheelie bins blocking a high school entrance in north-eastern Paris, Sophia, 17, was on the frontline of the barricade, when she would normally have been attending Spanish class.“We hope this grows into a massive youth protest movement,” said the final year baccalaureate student at Paris’s Lycée Voltaire, who did not want her real name published. She was on her second day of blocking the school entrance along with hundreds of others, ensuring all lessons were cancelled. “We just want to be listened to by the government. We’d rather stand here doing this than have to learn in poor conditions. It’s the only way to make ourselves heard.” Continue reading...
