UN Experts Slam France Over Student Protest Violence, Arrests
“We are appalled by the level of violence suffered by pupils and students demonstrating across France to demand what is long overdue: a functioning education system, decent material conditions for education, appropriate school and university timetables and territorial and social equality in access to quality education, in particular,” the experts said in a statement.
The unrest erupted among high school students in mid-September and has since reached university campuses. Protesters are pressing for better learning conditions, adequate resources and equal access to quality education.
The government made overtures to students in October, but the experts said officials put security measures ahead of the demonstrators’ underlying grievances.
“The serious and, in some cases, irreversible injuries sustained by underage demonstrators during law enforcement operations are unacceptable and unjustifiable,” they said.
The experts also raised alarm over the arrest and detention of several thousand people, most of them minors. They called the scale of the detentions disproportionate and warned it could deter peaceful protest.
They did not spare the other side of the unrest, condemning violence that left police officers injured and damaged buildings and businesses, and calling for investigations and accountability.
“We regret that police officers have been injured, and that numerous buildings have been damaged and shops vandalised,” they said.
“We condemn these acts of violence. Measures are needed to investigate them and bring perpetrators to justice.”
The experts urged French authorities to overhaul policing practices “in order to enable demonstrators to express their concerns and to facilitate a peaceful resolution of social conflicts.”
They said they remain in contact with French authorities over the situation.
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