France prison population tops 90,000 as overcrowding hits record
French Justice Ministry figures show the country’s prison population has risen above 90,000, while prisons have capacity for 63,000 inmates. The figure marks a new record for France’s prison population.
A rise in the number of detainees in recent months has left French prisons operating above capacity. The situation comes as the United Nations had previously urged Paris to take action to ease prison overcrowding.
At the same time as this report, student protests continue in France. Authorities said French forces arrested 1,949 protesters on Thursday, and the French Interior Ministry said most of them were accused of violence against police. It was also claimed that 305 police and gendarmerie officers were injured in the protests.
Reports indicate that 600 people were also arrested on Wednesday; authorities accused them of arson and attacks on police. The student protests spread to universities on Thursday as well, and reports said 400 schools were closed and offering remote learning. In addition, 170 students were injured.
The protests began last week in response to a shortage of educational resources, crowded classrooms and a shortage of teachers. In cities including Lyon, Lille and Saint-Denis, the entrances to a number of schools were blocked, and in some cases rubbish bins were set on fire and objects were thrown at police. France’s prime minister on Thursday called for an emergency meeting to examine the crisis.
