Brutal arrest of French students may lead to another protests
Footage showing the brutal arrest of high school students protesting outside Paris is causing a stir ahead of further anti-government protests this weekend. The footage, which has been shared widely on social media, has prompted trade unions and far-left parties to lash out at perceived police brutality. The images, which were filmed Thursday at Mantes-la-Jolie, showed a group of students on their knees with their hands behind their head. They are being watched over by armed police officers whose faces are hidden by ski masks. In one of the videos, a police officer can be heard saying: "Here is a class that behaves well."
- World
- AFP
- Published Date: 12:00 | 07 December 2018
- Modified Date: 03:03 | 07 December 2018
Laurent Saint-Martin, a senior member of the ruling Republic On The Move (LREM) party, said around 40 of the students were masked and carrying equipment to be used in vandalism and arson.
But he too described the videos as "shocking", telling Franceinfo radio: "It's right to be angry, looking at these images."
Protests at some 280 schools against stricter university entrance requirements have added to a sense of general revolt in France as the "yellow vest" protests rumble on.
Dozens of people wearing face masks threw Molotov cocktails, torched rubbish bins and clashed with police outside schools in several cities Thursday.
- PARIS SET FOR LOCKDOWN -
The "yellow vest" protests, named after the safety jackets worn by demonstrators, came to a head in Paris last weekend with the worst rioting the capital has seen in decades.
The protests began on November 17 in opposition to rising fuel taxes, but have since swollen into a broad movement against Emmanuel Macron and the biggest challenge of his presidency.
The protesters are furious at rising costs of living blamed on high taxes, and accuse former investment banker Macron of favouring the rich with his policies.