Hundreds held, dozens wounded as protests over conditions in French schools escalate

Since last week, students have staged protests outside schools over grievances ranging from timetables, class sizes and a shortage of teachers to overheated classrooms during this year's heatwaves.

French security forces detained more than 600 people while dozens of police and gendarmes were wounded as protests that have seen blockades of high schools and violent clashes escalated, the interior minister said on Wednesday.

The movement in the lycées, attended by students aged 15 to 18 for their final three years of secondary education in France, has angered the government.

Since last week, students have staged protests outside schools over grievances ranging from timetables, class sizes and a shortage of teachers to overheated classrooms during this year's heatwaves.

The protests started in the Île-de-France region around Paris but have now spread to other cities nationwide.

On Wednesday, 625 people were detained during high school blockades, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said, noting an "expansion of the movement" and condemning an "escalation of violence" outside certain schools.

At least 83 police officers and gendarmes were wounded during the protests on Wednesday, which affected a total of 356 schools, he added.

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