Student protest at the Porte des Lions entrance of the Louvre over the education crisis

They did not know how to avoid a robbery, but they used tear gas against us

- reads one of the demonstrators' placards at the entrance to the Louvre.

Today the student protests in Paris reached the Louvre, and I decided to go to the demonstration at the museum's iconic southern entrance, the Porte des Lions, which is home to the prestigious École du Louvre. There the protesters have blocked the teaching buildings and the entrance itself, declaring solidarity with the lycée and school pupils across the country.

The Porte des Lions is the historic gateway of the Louvre on the side of the Quai François Mitterrand, adorned with the famous bronze lions by Antoine-Louis Barye and the Saharan lionesses by Auguste Cain. But today, in place of tourists, there are a few dozen striking students. Although some media speak of hundreds of protesters, I went to the spot in person and found about 30 people, applauding comrades with loudhailers.

What are the protesters demanding? The demonstrators are speaking out against a deep crisis in the national education system. Their main demands are funding, staff and changes to the competitive admission conditions. That is, state budget allocations for modernising educational institutions and higher grants; a solution to the critical shortage of teachers and more university places; reform or complete abolition of the system of competitive student selection through the Parcoursup platform; and support for young people from the poor suburbs.

The slogans I saw: The Louvre School stands in solidarity. Lycée girls, we are waiting for you! No money in the lycée - you'll become a policeman. No money in the university - you'll end up in the organised crime squad. The state ignores the youth of the suburbs. Riot police are the guardians of hatred, lycée girls are the guardians of hope.

A placard reading “This is not a blockade” alludes to the painting by the Surrealist Magritte, “This is not a pipe”.

The strikes continue to gather momentum. The Louvre administration and the Ministry of Education have so far refrained from official comment, and the museum is operating as normal, except for the Porte des Lions.

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