To think the French students are out of control?

I went to university in the late 70s, there were people, particularly young women who were there and were proud to be the first from their communities to get to university. Some young women doing science degrees, when the ratio was 5 men to 1 woman. They knew they were privileged.

'Education is a privilege'

It is not. It is a fundamental right and a legal obligation in the French Republic.

It looks like civil war to me. It's gone way beyond students protesting about education. It's distressing to watch. It's also spread to other countries. I honestly feel it's only a matter of time before it happens here. I don't know how the media is reporting it, but the footage on Twitter is horrifying.

They are idiots, the same as the protestors here. Why don't they set up a political party if they want to change things, or join one of the existing parties and try to change things by legitimate means instead of by smashing things up and setting fire to things?

Watching the Limoges hall burning to the ground is so sad. What is wrong with this generation. They’re going backwards.
Education is a privilege. One that is eligible to the normal not gifted working class for the first time in history.
I am 45, very few of us went to third level education in my area, now most of our children go or plan to go.

Yes Brussels and Milan protests along with france are supposed to be about the cost of living /low wages and fuel prices etc however as usual people jump on the band wagon don't they and under cover of genuine concerns loot.

I don't think it is just students that are protesting today.

It is also people who are fed up with the cost of living and having to struggle everyday.

Many of today's protests have just brought regular people to the streets and have been peaceful.

That said protesting is a national sport in France and people know how to get their voices heard which often involves burning a few things and squaring up to the police...

I am a dual national and sometimes I wish the British were less passive.

If the French were asked to pay outrageous utility, food and transport costs and had seen their seas and rivers polluted by sewage like we do in the UK, they would have burned the Elysee down by now...

The point is that French politicians still fear the electorate because they know they will take them to account.

The French have a history of this kind of thing. Yes of course, La Revolution with Robespierre and the guillotine and all that, but in more recent history for example the soixante-huitards were a pretty bid deal - starting of as a student protest which led to a national strike, nearly brought down the government and brought in some massive labour deals to improve conditions for workers. Even when I was at uni in France in the 2000 I remember student strikes and protests including violent clashes with police in the street I was living in.
As to “there’s no money left” interestingly the money is still in the economy, it hasn’t left. All that’s changed is who has it. There are various ways of redistribution, whether through getting paid for work, taxation, profits from the work of others (owning the means of production, as Marx would have it), philanthropy… take your pick. If you feel the money is currently being redistributed in an unfair way and would like the government to seek to rectify that, violent protests are one way of bringing that to your attention (along with writing a strongly worded letter to the editor, posting on your MPs Facebook page, signing a petition… again take your pick).

I think the French havd more passion for violent protest vive la revolution! I do believe that it’s being influenced by people with an agenda online. We are seeing it in the U.K. too.

I do think they have a point but property destruction just shifts the focus onto that. Useful idiots.

Yes, I know. But up until today our media have explained them as ‘largely peaceful student protests.’ The widespread serious mob violence is now the bigger story but how will it be reported?

Older generations have made sure to set fire to their futures, the students are not the ones responsible for civilisation crashing and burning. Nor are they the ones burning public buildings.

There are student protests happening in many countries at the moment, the majority of which are positive and peaceful.

Seriously? Doing something about it is one thing, as the earlier peaceful protests were. But this is just mindless thugs who have taken over the protests with the intent of causing as much damage and destruction as possible. This is not French passion and it is certainly not something to be admired.

I really think people are mixing everything up. The kids protesting about their schooling are NOT the ones who are looting and damaging things.

There is a lot of burning and looting.

Ok. Let's watch while civilisation crashes and burns then

Your comment is disgraceful. The police are already using excessive force on minors. Shooting people for damage to property is totally unjustified.

I can’t stand Greta Thunberg.

The problem with this is that it means there is no change even when there needs to be.

I could easily see the country running itself into a massive debt crisis while people are protesting in the streets. And they just wouldn't care.

I think the issues are more prevalent I'm more deprived areas, I wonder if your friend lives in a nicer area.
Spot on. That’s the situation in Europe deprived areas are hit first so when the locals speak out they can be labelled as uneducated.

It is well thought out.

I see Greta Thunberg is there. Seems The students’ issues are being supported sorry hijacked by climate warriors, far left agitators, gilet jaunes and a motley crew of anarchists. I agree with the students BTW and their teachers are not happy either. I don’t know how it will all end but French riot police don’t take any prisoners.

I hope you mean "vive la révolution" - unless there has been a sudden incursion of Spanish rioters across the southern frontier.

Les enfants terribles

I think the issues are more prevalent I'm more deprived areas, I wonder if your friend lives in a nicer area? I read an account from a student in a deprived area who said his class is up to 50 students, and there are only about 30 chairs/tables, so many students have to stand. Not enough books to go round, teachers often off with no replacement, no toilet paper, toilets blocked and not working etc. It takes him 90 mins to get to school, as lack of school places near him. No excuse for damage to property, but it does sound awful