France school protests escalate, nearly 400 schools closed as students clash with police

Paris, Oct 2 (UNI) Nearly 400 schools remained closed across France on Friday as nationwide high school protests over staff shortages, overcrowded classrooms and poor school conditions intensified, with clashes between students and police reported in several cities. Nearly 3,000 lycée students have been taken into police custody since the protests began, according to the Interior Ministry, including 1,949 on Thursday alone, as per local media reports. The protests, which began in the Paris region last week, have spread across the country and increasingly turned violent. Education Minister Édouard Geffray said about 400 of France's 3,700 high schools were expected…