Images of students’ arrests ‘shocking’, France in ‘exceptional violence’ – education minister

French education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer admitted that the images of students on their knees, while being arrested by baton-wielding officers are “shocking.”

The controversial video from Mantes-la-Jolie released late Thursday has been a hot topic of discussion on social media. Depicting rows of education reform protesters on their knees, hands on heads, with helmeted police officers, it gathered thousands of retweets and angry comments. Many users compared the manner the officers were handling the arrestees with execution by firing squad.

On Friday morning, French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer was asked by France Inter radio to give his opinion on the video.

[link to www.rt.com (secure)]