Throngs Mourn Death of Paris Student

Hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, parents and workers marched in the streets of Paris and other cities today to mourn the death of a student during anti-government riots and to protest police brutality.

In Paris, a mostly quiet and somber crowd estimated by police at 150,000 and by the organizers at between 500,000 and 600,000, marched from the Place Denfert-Rochereau on the Left Bank four miles across the city to the Place de la Nation.

Observers estimated that in other cities across the country roughly 200,000 more people demonstrated.

A special corps of doctors, lawyers and government workers formed a group calling itself the “White Helmets” to help keep the Paris protest free of violence. Parents brought up the rear. Many demonstrators were wearing badges that said “Never Again.”

Interior Minister Charles Pasqua, criticized for his handling of riots last week in which one student died and 247 people were injured, said: “The forces of police will be very light. They will be in reserve.”

“Pasqua Assassin,” said a banner carried by the protesters.

Big Black Banner

At the front of the procession were members of families of some of the wounded students, walking just behind a large black banner with no inscription.

The demonstrations were called to underscore student opposition to a proposal by Premier Jacques Chirac to reform the university system, to protest police use of force during riots Dec. 4, 5 and 6 and to honor the memory of Malik Oussekine, the student who was killed.

Thousands of members of two teachers unions and the Communist-led General Workers Confederation went on strike for the day and joined the demonstrations. Several politicians, including French Communist Party leader Georges Marchais, were marching.

Student demonstrations and the rioting persuaded Chirac Monday to drop a proposal for an overhaul of France’s university system.

“We got what we wanted, but Malik is dead and that we cannot forget,” said student leader David Assouline.

Other Chirac measures delayed. Page 13.