France is struggling to contain its biggest student protests in decades. What started as a demonstration in support of striking teachers at a suburban high school to the north of Paris has snowballed into a national crisis.
Hundreds of schools have been forced to close and more than 5,000 people have been taken into police custody, most of them minors with no previous criminal records. Students, teachers and policemen have been injured. One student in the north-east city of Lens lost his hand after reportedly picking up a grenade and another in Tours, the use of an eye.
The next big test for the government will come Tuesday when thousands of people are expected to join protest marches across the country.
by Melissa Bell/CNN – Unprecedented student protests are rocking France. Here’s why they’re angry
