High school student mobilization in the Alpes-Maritimes, participation down this Tuesday

The high school mobilization on Tuesday, October 13 brought together fewer participants than the previous week in the Alpes-Maritimes. Three institutions were disrupted in the morning, compared to 20 to 25 at the height of the movement. The implementation of unjustified absences by certain headmasters notably contributed to limiting participation.

The high school mobilization showed a slowdown in the Alpes-Maritimes on Tuesday, October 13. Gatherings were reported outside the Audiberti and Jacques Dolle high schools in Antibes, as well as outside the Manouchian high school in Nice. Partial blockades were underway at these three institutions at 8:30 a.m.

The situation contrasted with the most intense days of the movement, when 20 to 25 high schools were disrupted in the Alpes-Maritimes department. The previous week, the demonstration had brought together approximately 3,000 people. Tuesday’s participation was down, even though final figures in the department have not been released. In France, 161,500 people demonstrated according to the Interior Ministry and 480,000 according to the unions.

This decline was notably explained by measures taken in certain institutions. Several headmasters had decided to record as unjustified the absences of students who did not attend classes due to the blockades. Until then, certain mobilized high school students were not subject to this type of reporting.

This decision may have prompted more students to stay in class. The number of blockades had also decreased compared to previous days.

An arrest in Antibes

The gatherings took place in a festive atmosphere. In Nice, no major incidents were reported during the demonstration. The march was notably to head toward the train station.

In Antibes, the prefecture reported the “malicious closure during the night of the gates of the Audiberti high school in Antibes using chains and padlocks, with no damage observed.” The barriers were removed early in the morning.

One person was arrested in Antibes for possession of a mortar. In Nice, the CGT came to show its support for the high school students gathered outside the Manouchian high school.

In total, approximately 180 arrests were recorded during the movement, according to the information released. The situation had gradually calmed down over the course of the mobilization days, despite some incidents reported around the institutions.

This Tuesday, October 13, was thus marked by a smaller mobilization in the Alpes-Maritimes, with fewer high school students present and fewer blockades than at the height of the movement.