Unprecedented protests that began in a low-income suburb of Paris are escalating, with investigations underway into allegations of police brutality.
Protests Erupt in Paris
Before dawn on Tuesday, outside the Lycée Sophie-Germain in central Paris, hundreds of teenagers constructed barricades using wheelie bins, metal barriers, and shopping trolleys. They held banners demanding increased funding and greater equality in French schools, while also protesting against the French riot police, accused by human rights groups of using excessive force against minors.
"Everyone hates the police," chanted a group of 15- and 16-year-olds. According to government reports, at least 215 teenagers, 715 police officers, and 85 teaching staff have been injured in recent clashes.
Voices of the Protesters
Livia, a 17-year-old theatre student from northern Paris, expressed her frustration:
“"We’re teenagers with wheelie bins, and the police have heavy weapons; it’s totally mismatched. The police are extremely violent in France. This is state violence, and it’s horrible seeing police allowed to target children. It’s important to remember this is institutionalized violence; it’s planned and deliberate."
Ten investigations into possible police brutality are currently underway, following injuries allegedly caused by police weapons. These include a 15-year-old who lost his hand, another who lost his eye, and a boy whose jaw and teeth were shattered, leaving him barely able to eat.
Lily, another 17-year-old protester, described the situation:
“"The policing is catastrophic; people have been mutilated by weapons – one boy has lost an eye – it’s horrible. My parents support me being on the barricades and at the protests. They’re worried about the policing, but they said they’d come and get me from the police station if I was arrested."
