PARIS: French police scuffled with scores of hooded youths on Thursday on the margins of a student protest over a planned cut in teaching staffing.

Some of the youths broke away from the main demonstration in central Paris and tried to smash shop windows. Bystanders said they failed to cause much damage and television footage showed police dragging away some of the protesters. It was the second time this week that high school students had taken to the streets of Paris over an Education Ministry plan to shed some 8,830 teaching jobs this year.

Demonstrations were also planned in other French cities, including Marseille, Montpellier and Lyon, and students unions said about 100 schools were closed across France.

Education Minister Xavier Darcos has played down the protest movement and said the cut in teachers was justified by a dip in the number of students going through schools. The government has said it will not replace one out of two public sector workers retiring between now and 2012 in an effort to rein in state spending.—Reuters