Overview

• French officials have implemented random bag checks near schools to search for weapons and drugs, aiming to enhance student safety.
• The measures follow the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old in Yerres on March 24, highlighting a troubling pattern of violence near schools.
• Education Minister Élisabeth Borne and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau emphasized stricter sanctions, including fines for adults and police involvement for minors found with weapons.
• Prefects and academy rectors have been instructed to oversee the rollout of these measures by the end of the academic year.
• Officials described the recurring violence as an 'abominable litany' and stressed the need for immediate action to deter future incidents.