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French teachers and students march as school blockades spread

Protests followed two weeks of unrest that began in Paris suburbs, with riot police deployed after clashes left a teenager with a hand blown off.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Europe

Students, teachers and parents marched in multiple French cities on Tuesday, while protesters blockaded hundreds of schools in what was described as the biggest day of action in a continuing wave of demonstrations.

According to Reuters, protests began peacefully in cities including Marseille, Nantes and Lyon, with the largest demonstration expected in Paris later in the day. The actions come after a fortnight of protests that started in Paris’ deprived suburbs before spreading across the country.

The government’s response included riot police, and officials said the movement had shifted toward urban violence. Reuters reported that a teenager’s hand was blown off in northern France during clashes with riot police on Monday.

Local officials, including Francois-Xavier Lauch, prefect of Pas-de-Calais, declined to comment on the exact circumstances, saying about 200 to 250 protesters had been hurling objects at police, Reuters said.

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