French Police Use Tear Gas Against High School Students Protesting In Paris

The French police on Tuesday used tear gas against students and schoolchildren holding a mass demonstration in Paris to express their discontent with the new education reform, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th December, 2018) The French police on Tuesday used tear gas against students and schoolchildren holding a mass demonstration in Paris to express their discontent with the new education reform, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

The rally has been ongoing for several hours already, with hundreds of young people marching through the city districts, where famous French universities are located. The demonstration was peaceful until some of its participants tried to throw a container filled with paint at police officers. Police responded by using tear gas.

The Boulevard Raspail, where the incident occurred, is currently closed to traffic.

The recent education reform in France complicates the selective process for entry into higher education institutions, and implies a significant increase in education fees for foreign students.

The youth protests are taking place amid the so-called yellow vest rallies that has been ongoing in France since November 17. Hundreds of people took to the streets to protest rising fuel prices and a planned hike in tax on diesel and carbon fuels.