Almost 400 high schools across France were closed on Friday due to a week-long protest movement by pupils. The protests, which began in the Paris region and spread nationwide, have resulted in dozens of staff members wounded and some 2,000 people arrested. Students are protesting excessively long school hours, inadequate conditions including overheated classrooms, and too many staff absences. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said the movement is being held hostage by ultra-violent fringe groups, while acknowledging the grievances are legitimate but violence is not.
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