World Service

What began as a revolt over public school funding has spilled into a much bigger fight over the future of France. Now, hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets, and clashes with police have left teenagers and officers injured. More than 6,000 people have been arrested, most of them minors. But what sparked these demonstrations? How could they shape next year’s election in France? And why have they become a conservative political talking point in the US? The Global Story’s own Tristan Redman — a Paris resident himself — speaks with co-host Asma Khalid about the history of Parisian street protests, what he’s heard from students on the ground, and what this movement could mean for France’s future. Producers: Mhairi MacKenzie and Xandra Ellin Executive producer: Martine Powers Digital producer: Mel Stewart-Smith Technical producer: Mike Regaard Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: A student holds up a French national flag while demonstrating outside the Carmes campus of the Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP), in Paris, France. (Firas Altoukhi/EPA/Shutterstock)