500 schools in France close as student protests spread
New: more than 5.000 people have been detained, 87% of them minors, and a new national action is set for Tuesday.
About 400 to 500 secondary schools in France were expected to close fully or partly on Monday as student protests continued to spread. The movement, which began at a school in Paris on 17 September, is calling for improvements to the education system, from overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages to damaged school buildings.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray said classes could not yet return to normal for security reasons. So far, 24 schools have been reported burned or vandalized, 78 education workers have been injured and more than 5.000 people have been detained. France's Justice Ministry said 87 percent of those detained were minors.
Several protests ended in clashes with police using tear gas and batons. Organizers, including Union Syndicale Lycéenne, say the government has not taken concrete steps and have called for a national day of action on Tuesday.