Riot Police Confront Student Protesters on 'Mardi Noir,' Near Paris

Riot police confronted students demonstrating against new education policies in Roissy-en-Brie, a suburb east of Paris, on Tuesday, December 11.

Footage taken outside Lycée Charles le Chauve shows a crowd of students coughing after police carrying riot shields fired tear gas. A dumpster can be seen burning near the school’s gate. In a second clip, a group of officers pushed a protester with their shields, spraying him with a riot control agent in close quarters.

Demonstrations on Tuesday came after a student union called for a “Mardi Noir,” or Black Tuesday, to protest education policies and show support for the “Yellow Jackets.” The nationwide mobilization included thousands of students, according to a press release. The Union Nationale Lycéenne has also called for those working to administer public education to strike on Thursday, December 13.

At least 450 schools across France were affected by the demonstrations on Tuesday, according to Le Figaro. Sixty were reportedly closed by blockades. Credit: @omaxxx_max via Storyful