Protesting French students hurled fire crackers at riot police in Pantin, near Paris, as nationwide demonstrations over teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms turn violent, with about 400 schools closed ▻ ↧ Students and police clash as France struggles to quell school protests Riot police clashed with high school students in cities across France on Friday, as President Emmanuel Macron's government battled ​to contain increasingly violent protests over classroom conditions and funding.