French student protests disrupt Danish school trip

A Danish school group’s study trip to France took an unexpected turn after protests forced the gymnasium they planned to visit to close, DR reported.

The French class from Midtsjællands Gymnasium, an upper-secondary school, had planned to attend lessons in Clisson, south of Nantes. The school closed the day before the students were due to leave. The group went ahead with the trip because it had already been paid for and its hosts had not cancelled, French teacher Allan Hulebæk Hansen said.

Most of the students are staying with French families, several of whom have taken part in protests. The demonstrations have been driven by complaints about run-down schools, overcrowded classes, teacher shortages and long school days, 18-year-old student Liva Gronemann said. French students attend school from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., she said.

The Danish group had planned to visit Nantes on Tuesday, but their French hosts advised them to stay away because large demonstrations were expected. Hansen said his French colleague warned that events could become too violent and that police were responding forcefully to some protests.

Gronemann said the scenes in Nantes, about half an hour away, looked “insane” on the news. She also knew that some of the French students they were visiting were at the demonstrations.

Instead of attending lessons in Clisson, the Danish students went on a walking tour, visited a winery and spent time with French students who did not join the protests.

French high schools were due to reopen on Thursday for what the government called “Democracy Day”, allowing teachers and students to discuss current events. The Danish students listened to a discussion about education policy, Hansen said. Protesters gathered outside a private gymnasium in Clisson on Thursday and were expected to demonstrate outside the public gymnasium on Friday. The Danish students are due to return home on Friday.