POLICE ARREST THOUSANDS AMID STUDENT PROTESTS IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM

French police have arrested more than 6,100 people since secondary school protests began over two weeks ago, most of them minors with no previous criminal record. In Belgium, student demonstrations against rising education costs turned violent in Liège, with reports putting the number detained at 80 or more than 100 and 27 people formally arrested, according to the Belga news agency, citing Liège police. Protesters in Liège damaged property and set fires, police said. Students in both countries are demanding better learning conditions and lower costs.

The French movement has drawn students, unions and teachers demanding improved school conditions, with demonstrations held in cities including Paris. The French government has suspended the use of stun grenades during the protests, and a police officer has been charged after firing a tear gas grenade at a student, according to reports. A student lost a hand in a confrontation with police, prompting an expert to question the French authorities' response. Students in Liège said they were protesting overcrowded classrooms and poor access to resources in Belgium's French-speaking education system. The Liège protests follow earlier unrest in Brussels over a rise in tuition fees from €835 to €1,194.

Students in Liège said the French protests had influenced their decision to demonstrate, citing similar grievances over education funding. Reports have linked the unrest to the cost-of-living crisis and rising energy costs, which have placed pressure on education budgets in both countries. Liège mayor Willy Demeyer said dialogue could be established with protesters and expressed hope they could raise concerns peacefully. French students have predicted the protests will escalate, and calls have been made in France to restrict minors' access to social media amid the unrest.