New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- Around 400 secondary schools across France were closed on Friday, 2 October, as a rapidly expanding student protest movement over education conditions escalated into clashes, fires, and blockades.

The closures affect roughly 400 of France's 3,700 high schools, with the Education Ministry saying classes at affected institutions would move online where possible. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said the decision was primarily intended to protect students and staff after violence was reported at several schools.

The protests began in the Paris region in late September and have since spread to cities including Marseille, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Rennes, Lille, and Nantes. Students have been blocking school entrances and ...