Saint-Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko shields students from police amid protests
Bally Bagayoko, mayor of Saint-Denis, stepped in to shield students protesting poor school conditions and teacher shortages.
He stood between riot police and the teens, asking officers to stop.
Bally Bagayoko said, "I stand by being on the side of my residents, and high school students are my residents," and later, "Your demands are just. Keep organizing and making your voices heard. But do not give in to any provocation. Stay united and non-violent."
Protests hit 400 schools, 440 detained
The student protests quickly spread across France, affecting about 400 schools and leading to clashes and 440 people were detained nationwide, with most placed in police custody.
While some politicians criticized Bagayoko for supporting the students, others praised him for standing with youth demanding better education.