Trump blames France student protests on Islam, mass migration
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has blamed the ongoing student-led protests in France on Islam and "out of control mass migration." "What's happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration. This isn't about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country," he said. The protests, which started on September 21 at a Paris suburb high school, are demanding more teachers and better schooling facilities.
Unrest intensifies
24 schools have been vandalized or burned
Their demands do not concern religion or immigration but focus instead on understaffing and lack of funding.
On Tuesday, police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd on the fringes of marches in Paris, Strasbourg, Rennes and Toulouse, among other cities.
The marches drew more than 250,000 people in dozens of cities, according to the interior ministry.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray said at least 24 schools have been vandalized or burned.
Timeline
215 teenagers injured
During the protests, a 15-year-old reportedly lost his lower arm and hand after he picked up and detonated a police stun grenade, newspaper La Voix du Nord reported.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu told lawmakers at least 215 teenagers and 85 school staff had so far been injured in clashes, "the heaviest toll in decades paid by the school system."
His office said more than 700 police officers were also injured.
Local concerns
Justice minister says no national demands
It is uncertain when the protests will end, with France's justice minister Gérald Darmanin stating, "One of the difficulties of this movement is...there are no national demands."
Lecornu has ordered his ministers to tackle the students' leading demands, which include replacing absent teachers and reviewing the length of the 8:00am to 6:00pm school day.
The government will also look at repairs needed to aging buildings.
Lecornu has asked ministers to send in their first proposals by the end of October.
Political strategy
Trump's allies use protests to push anti-immigration agenda
Trump's allies have used these protests to push their anti-immigration agenda ahead of the US midterm elections.
Right-wing commentators have shared videos of the unrest in France as a warning for what could happen if Democrats return to power.
This incident further strains relations between Trump and outgoing French President Emmanuel Macron, who has accused him of trying to weaken Europe.