The riots in France: the unusual reaction of the mayor from the extreme left

The news in brief:

• Bali Baguio, the mayor of Saint-Denis, decided to stand between the police and the protesters.
• He was recorded on video and went viral, claiming: “The protesters could have been my children.”
• The extreme left encourages the demonstrations and called on the masses to join them.
• The government blames the extreme left for stirring up the mood, months before the elections.
  

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An unusual document from the violent protests in France has gone viral on social networks – Bali Bagaico, the mayor of Saint-Denis in the suburbs of Paris and a member of the far-left party “Unyielding France” (LFI), was recorded standing in front of the police during a demonstration in the French capital, while trying to protect young protesters with his body and shouting at the forces: stop.

The event took place on Tuesday, during a national day of protest by high school students and students, which was also supported by teachers’ and parents’ organizations, all at the call of the far-left party led by presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melanchon. The demonstrations began against the backdrop of a protest over overcrowding in classrooms, the shortage of teachers and the poor condition of the school buildings, problems that the protesters claim stem from years of insufficient government investment in the education system.

In an interview with the Reuters news agency, held yesterday in his office in the municipality of Saint Denis, Bagayoko explained that he came to the demonstration to support the students and prevent the police from attacking them.

“They decided to attack and actually chase the students, many of whom did not show any aggressive behavior towards the police,” said the mayor. According to him, despite his attempts to prevent the confrontation, the police finally used tear gas against the group of protesters, including himself.

In the last two weeks, France has been dealing with a huge wave of student protests that gained momentum, affected hundreds of schools and became quite violent. The protest began in the underprivileged neighborhoods of Paris, but has since expanded to become a national protest movement that reveals widespread public anger, against the backdrop of the French presidential elections in about six months, in which President Emmanuel Macron’s replacement will be chosen.

Since the beginning of the protest, more than 6,000 people have been arrested, and dozens of students have been injured. Human rights organizations and labor unions accuse the police of using excessive force against minors, including batons, tear gas and rubber bullets. This week a 15-year-old student lost his hand after being hit by a police stun grenade.

On the other hand, the authorities emphasize that the police officers also suffer severe violence. According to official reports, hundreds of police officers were injured during the riots, schools were set on fire or looted, and teachers and civilians were attacked. The protest also includes blockades and demonstrations throughout the country.

The city of Saint-Denis, headed by Gayoco, was one of the first centers of the protest wave that erupted at the end of September. This is a city in the northern suburbs of Paris, where the poverty rate is more than twice as high as the national average.

The students in the city began to demonstrate in protest over overcrowded and unsanitary classrooms, a shortage of teachers and the lack of equal opportunities in the education system. According to the mayor, these are known problems that have accompanied the residents for years.

“Protests are nothing new here. They happen at the beginning of every school year,” Bagayoko said. According to him, “the Republican promise of equality, especially for working-class neighborhoods as well as rural areas, is not being fulfilled.”

Bagayoko called on the government to make investment in education a priority and to impose higher taxes on billionaires, in order to deal with the social disparities.

The mayor, a father of four, also explained his decision to personally stand by the side of the young protesters, despite the confrontations with the police.

“The high school students who were on the streets could have been my children,” he said. “It is my responsibility to stand by them.”

The national protest also became a focus of political conflict. The French government made the claim that politicians from the far-left party “Unyielding France”, to which Bagaioco belongs, are behind the wave of protests.

This week various unions joined the protests, following Melenchon’s call for more crowds to join the protests. The mayor strongly rejected the claim and said that it is an accusation that insults the young protesters, who are protesting the conditions in the education system.

At the same time, French Prime Minister Sebastien LeCorneau announced on Wednesday that the government will examine the students’ demands and present proposals to deal with the problems by the end of October. However, he did not give details about the steps the government is considering taking.