Nearly 2,000 arrested as student unrest grips France (VIDEOS)

Riot police used tear gas as protesters blockaded schools and erected barricades amid nationwide strikes Riot police fired tear gas at protesting students in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, amid nationwide strikes that led to nearly 2,000 arrests across France on Thursday.High school and university students joined striking firefighters, healthcare workers, transport staff and other civil servants, demanding the hiring of more substitute teachers and better learning conditions. They erected makeshift barricades, blockaded schools and universities, and set garbage bins on fire during standoffs with police.A total of 1,949 people were arrested on Thursday, up from 625 the previous day. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez condemned what he described as “unrestrained violence,” while the ministry reported that 305 police officers and gendarmes were injured.Tensions en cours à Saint-Denis : face à face entre lycéens et policiers devant le commissariat. Usage de gaz lacrymogène pour disperser la foule. pic.twitter.com/qrJXq9xKz3— CLPRESS / Agence de presse (@CLPRESSFR) October 1, 2026Education Minister Edouard Geffray said that more than 400 schools would be closed on Friday due to the unrest...