Students and workers protest across France over schools and living costs

Hundreds of thousands of people marched through French cities in late 2023 to demand better schools and higher wages. The protests started at a high school near Paris, where students were angry about staff shortages and poor buildings. They quickly spread across the country. On the biggest day, the government counted 250,000 marchers, but trade unions said the number was closer to 500,000. Police used tear gas and batons against some crowds, and at least 200 pupils were injured. A 15-year-old boy lost his hand during a confrontation with police in Lens. In Paris and other cities, around 3,000 shops were damaged or looted. Some cities, including Lyon and Nice, banned certain marches completely. The Louvre museum closed on protest days because of safety concerns.