This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24578672

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Protesters disrupt French schools in Leonarda row Protesters disrupt French schools in Leonarda row
(about 4 hours later)
Schools in Paris and other French cities are being disrupted again by pupil protests over the removal of two foreign students from France.Schools in Paris and other French cities are being disrupted again by pupil protests over the removal of two foreign students from France.
Some 20 secondary schools in Paris are affected, said an activist from the school pupils' union Fidl, as photos of protests were circulated on Twitter. Protesters gathered on the French capital's Bastille square, traditional meeting-place of the left, as some demonstrators clashed with riot police.
Thousands of pupils left classes on Thursday to hold marches. Divisions have appeared among the ruling Socialists over the affair.
It has emerged that the father of a Roma schoolgirl at the centre of the row lied over his asylum claim.It has emerged that the father of a Roma schoolgirl at the centre of the row lied over his asylum claim.
Resat Dibrani told media in Kosovo, where he and his family were expelled, that he had told the French authorities his family was from the breakaway Serbian region. However, the anger in France has focused on the way Leonarda Dibrani, 15, was removed from a school bus to be expelled along with her family earlier this month. They had been living in the eastern region of Doubs for several years.
In fact, only he was born there while, according to him, his daughter Leonarda and other members of his family were born in Italy. While President Francois Hollande has remained silent, his partner, Valerie Trierweiler, spoke out on Friday to question the girl's treatment.
However, the anger in France has focused on the way Leonarda, 15, was removed from a school bus to be expelled along with her family earlier this month. They had been living in the eastern region of Doubs for several years. Protesters are calling for the resignation of Interior Minister Manuel Valls, who has defended the authorities' tough line and takes a tough policy towards Roma immigrants in general.
The minister has cut short an official visit to the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe in order to return to Paris, where findings of an inquiry into the handling of the affair are expected to be ready shortly.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has said the family will be allowed to return if "any fault is found" with the expulsion order.
There is also anger over the removal of Khatchik Kachatryan, a 19-year-old student in Paris who was expelled on Saturday to Armenia after reportedly being arrested for shoplifting, at which point police discovered he had entered France illegally.There is also anger over the removal of Khatchik Kachatryan, a 19-year-old student in Paris who was expelled on Saturday to Armenia after reportedly being arrested for shoplifting, at which point police discovered he had entered France illegally.
Minister under fire School 'sanctuary'
The row has caused strains within the government of Socialist President Francois Hollande, where Interior Minister Manuel Valls is regarded as the most popular figure with the wider public. Police fired tear gas at some protesters in Paris but the demonstration in the Nation-Bastille area appeared to be passing off peacefully in the main.
Protesters have demanded the resignation of Mr Valls, who has defended the expulsions and his tough policy towards Roma immigrants in general. Pupils partially blocked entry to as many as 20 secondary schools in Paris while allowing other pupils to enter to attend classes, the pupils' union Fidl said.
Protesters were partially blocking entry to secondary schools while allowing other pupils to enter to attend classes, Fidl was quoted as saying by Le Figaro newspaper.
Outside one school in central Paris, the Lycee Charlemagne, wheelie bins were used to block the entrance. A banner read "Jotters not [ID] papers".Outside one school in central Paris, the Lycee Charlemagne, wheelie bins were used to block the entrance. A banner read "Jotters not [ID] papers".
"We got organised on Facebook yesterday evening - it was super easy!" one schoolgirl, named as Amelie, told a Figaro reporter in Paris. One protester at the school, named as David, told Reuters: "We're a bit lost, we say our country is the country of human rights, a country which welcomes people and we still deport a 15-year-old girl and a 19-year-old student to a country... that they don't know and where they have no future."
A rally was being planned for 13:00 (11:00 GMT) between the city's Bastille and Nation squares.
There appeared to be less protest activity in other French cities but some schools were affected in Marseille, Lyon and Rouen.There appeared to be less protest activity in other French cities but some schools were affected in Marseille, Lyon and Rouen.
Leonarda and her family have been given a flat and a small allowance in the Kosovo city of Mitrovica, where they have been speaking to French journalists about the shock of being sent to a region where they are strangers, unable to speak Albanian. Speaking on a visit to Angers, Ms Trierweiler said "certain boundaries cannot be crossed" and "the school gate is one of them".
A review of the case has been ordered in France, along with an investigation into the police response. Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has said the family will be allowed to return if "any fault is found" with the expulsion order. Education Minister Vincent Peillon told French radio that it was wrong for the authorities to have detained the girl while she was on a trip.
It has emerged in France that the father was investigated by French authorities for allegedly beating his family. "What is certain is that when one is in the setting of a class outing, and that was the case, you are part of school life... and you can't intervene during that time," he said. "That means schools are kind of a sanctuary."
Resat was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying he was the only member of the family actually born in Kosovo, which he reportedly left in the early 1970s. Opinion polls suggest Mr Valls is the most popular member of President Hollande's government with the wider public.
"We lied to the authorities when we said we were from Kosovo," he said. His critics point to the fact that he himself was born in Spain. However, he was naturalised in France more than 20 years ago.
Father's lies
Leonarda Dibrani and her family have been given a flat and a small allowance in the Kosovo city of Mitrovica, where they have been speaking to French journalists about the shock of being sent to a region where they are strangers, unable to speak Albanian.
Resat Dibrani told media in Kosovo, where he and his family were expelled, that he had lied to the French authorities when he said his family was from the breakaway Serbian region.
In fact, only he was born there while, according to him, his daughter Leonarda and other members of his family were born in Italy.
"We lied to the authorities when we said we were from Kosovo," he told Reuters news agency.
It emerged in France that the father was investigated by French authorities for allegedly beating his family.
Little is known about the fate of Mr Kachatryan, though it was reported that he had been detained on his return to Armenia for evading military service.Little is known about the fate of Mr Kachatryan, though it was reported that he had been detained on his return to Armenia for evading military service.
The French interior minister is currently on an official visit to the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, which recently saw a rise in violent crime.
Critics of the minister's policies have pointed to the fact that he himself was born in Spain. However, he was naturalised in France more than 20 years ago.