Hong Kong issues amber travel alert for France as school protests turn violent

Hong Kong has issued an amber outbound travel alert for France after weeks of protests over school conditions spread across the country, triggering clashes and damage in major cities.

The alert – the lowest of three levels in the Security Bureau’s outbound travel alert system – advises residents travelling to France to exercise caution in response to signs of a threat to personal safety.

“Due to persistent protests across many places in France, which have resulted in clashes and damage, the government advises residents who intend to visit France, or are already there, to monitor the situation, exercise caution, attend to personal safety, pay attention to local announcements and avoid large gatherings,” a government spokesman said on Tuesday.

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The bureau said it would continue to closely monitor the situation. Residents requiring assistance may call the Immigration Department’s 24-hour hotline on (852) 1868.

France endured a turbulent weekend as weeks of high school student protests over poor study conditions were hijacked by violent looters in major cities, amid anger over rising fuel prices and the cost-of-living crisis.

While the movement, which began on September 17, drew hundreds of thousands of largely peaceful protesters, clashes over the weekend led to chaotic scenes, with hundreds of shops looted and the historic city hall in Limoges burned down.