Support for Student Protests in France
The Free Association of Student Unions (FZS) expressed its solidarity on Monday with the protesting students in France and has called for demonstrations in Germany on November 17. Over the past few weeks, protests regarding educational issues have surged across France. What began as a grassroots movement addressing the dire conditions of a few schools—such as crumbling infrastructure and a shortage of teachers—has evolved into a widespread uprising among youth in schools, universities, and colleges nationwide.
Katharina Rummenhöller, a member of the FZS executive board, stated, "Our unwavering solidarity is with all fellow students and protesters in France. Their concerns are legitimate and urgent: rats in school buildings, prolonged class cancellations, and dilapidated educational facilities. These problems resonate deeply with us. The protests in France serve as a shining example for all of Europe, particularly for educational systems plagued by budget cuts and mismanagement."
Board member Jo Dietze added, "The right-liberal Macron government has responded to its own failures with unimaginable violence. The French police are revealing their true colors by requesting permission to continue using tear gas against children and young people, even after several minors have been maimed. It is neither a normal, democratic, nor acceptable reaction to respond to educational protests with rubber bullets and tear gas."
Upcoming Protests in Germany
The FZS is organizing a decentralized nationwide protest day on November 17, where the primary focus will be to advocate for a completely reformed BAföG system that allows everyone to pursue their education of choice without financial anxiety. This protest is also intertwined with the ongoing housing crisis in Germany and the erosion of our education system due to chronic underfunding.
In related news, the Sahrawi liberation movement, Frente Polisario, reported on Monday that Moroccan authorities have barred French activist Claude Mangin-Asfari from entering Morocco to visit her imprisoned husband, Naâma Asfari. On the morning of October 12, Moroccan occupying forces prevented Mangin, who is the wife of the Sahrawi political prisoner Naâma Asfari—one of the detainees from the Gdeim-Izik group—from entering the country. This action followed her arrest at Marrakech airport, where she arrived with the intention of visiting her husband, who is incarcerated in a local prison.
The visit by Ivry-sur-Seine Mayor Philippe Bouyssou, who was accompanied by city councilor Claire Delmotte and Claude Mangin, was part of an official mandate from the city council. During its recent session on October 8, the council passed a resolution supporting Naâma Asfari's struggle for freedom and reaffirmed its solidarity amidst the violations he is facing. This initiative underscores the commitment of French local authorities to advocate for the respect of his rights and to demand the implementation of United Nations human rights mechanisms.
This prohibition comes against the backdrop of Claude Mangin being denied the right to visit her husband since January 2019. In another development, the Berlin Administrative Court ruled in July 2024 to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the publisher 8. Mai, allowing the federal government to mention and monitor the daily newspaper junge Welt in its annual reports on the protection of the constitution. A higher court will now have to decide on the matter. The publisher and editorial staff have been awaiting a court decision for many months regarding whether an appeal is possible or if it is necessary to escalate the issue to the Supreme Court.
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As reported by jungewelt.de.
