Protests in France turn violent, more than 600 people detained

Demonstrations by students protesting poor conditions in schools turned into fierce clashes with police in France on Thursday.

According to authorities, more than 600 protesters have been detained, most of them students. Dozens of police officers were also injured during the violence.

Official reports said protesters poured gasoline over a school principal and set fire to at least two educational institutions. Rallies near high schools spread across the country; transport was halted in several cities, while more than 160 schools were closed.

For several days, students have been protesting en masse over a lack of teaching staff, long school days and dilapidated buildings. On Thursday, they were joined by university students, who blocked the entrances to around 30 university campuses, including in Paris and Marseille in the south of the country.

Because of the escalation of the protests, authorities suspended buses, trams and metro services in Marseille and other cities. Prime Minister Sebastian Lecornu called the cabinet to an emergency meeting and asked ministers to cancel travel plans scheduled for the coming days.