Some 500 schools have been shuttered across France amid student demonstrations against overcrowded classrooms and poor facilities, which turned violent in some cities, according to the country’s education minister Édouard Geffray.

Mr Geffray said the school shutdown aimed to forestall more damage after protesting teenagers torched bins and damaged school property.

He said lessons will be paused in 400 to 500 schools over security concerns, adding that protesters have, so far, “burned or ransacked” about 24 schools since demonstrations began mid-September.

“There are activists—particularly from the far left—who have infiltrated the high school student movement, hijacked it from the students themselves, and engaged in extreme violence,” Mr Geffray said. “Clearly, this poses a risk to both our staff and our students.”

Students complained about dilapidated school buildings, a shortage of teaching staff, and overcrowded classrooms without air conditioning. They claimed classrooms got extremely hot during summer.

The protests originally began on September 17 but have since spread across the country as more students join the movement.