Protests by high school students that began in France have spread to neighboring Belgium. In Liège, over 100 arrests have been made since students took to the streets a week ago.
On October 7, Liège police reported that 107 individuals had been arrested during student protests this month. On October 5 alone, 16 people were detained, and 22 police officers were injured. The Liège prosecutor's office stated that since October 1, 33 individuals have been administratively detained and 20 have been judicially detained, including 17 minors.
As students broke windows at the Royal Athenaeum of Liège and set fire to trash cans, police deployed water cannons. Riot police, wearing helmets, used tear gas, disrupting traffic in the area.
The students are demanding an increase in the education budget, citing rising tuition fees, overcrowded classrooms, and inadequate learning materials. They are calling for more substitute teachers, smaller class sizes, and adjustments to class schedules.
The French-speaking community government, facing financial difficulties, has been cutting budgets while implementing educational reforms, leading to ongoing protests for several months. In Belgium, the education system is divided by language, with the French-speaking community often considered to be at a disadvantage compared to the Dutch-speaking community.
Protest signs read, "We fight for rights, not privileges," and "We chose education, not 'The Hunger Games.'" Some students reported that they are in contact with their peers in France, offering mutual support. However, the protests in Belgium have remained relatively small, centered around Liège with only a few hundred participants.
Meanwhile, in France, over 5,000 individuals have been arrested since high school protests began in mid-September in the Île-de-France region. Of the approximately 3,700 high schools nationwide, 400 to 500 have suspended classes, with more than 160 public high schools in Île-de-France closing their doors. Prime Minister Sébastien Leclercq has instructed departments to resume classes in areas where safety is assured and has proposed a timeline to address some of the students' demands.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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