Bishop Hervé Gosselin calls for dialogue amid France protests

Bishop Hervé Gosselin of Angoulême and Bishop Olivier de Cagny of Évreux are calling for dialogue and prayer to address nationwide unrest in France. The protests, which began in the Paris region on Sept. 17, spread across the country following the apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV from Sept. 25 to 28.

The unrest has caused disruptions or closures at nearly 900 of the country's 3,700 public high schools as of Oct. 6. According to France Info, the Ministry of Justice reported more than 5,000 people taken into police custody and several hundred police officers injured.

Bishop Gosselin noted on Oct. 2 that the peaceful atmosphere of the papal visit has been replaced by a difficult reality. Bishop de Cagny said that while young people face valid fears regarding unemployment, climate change, war, and social isolation, the use of violence is unnecessary.