France is bracing for what has been dubbed "Black Tuesday" as protesters are expected to gather in Paris after weeks of violent clashes in schools across the country.
"Some are calling it a 'Black Tuesday' because it is an unusual day compared to previous ones," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told radio France Inter.
"We will very likely see protests outside high schools again this morning, followed by calls for demonstrations, so there is a dual set of events unfolding throughout the day."
Mr Nunez warned the unions organising a protest in Paris on Tuesday that it was their responsibility to contain violent spill-overs.
Tens of thousands are expected to rally at a march at place de la Republique organised by student unions.
"We’ll see ... whether the unions are capable of containing [far-left] Black Blocs and preventing high-risk groups from infiltrating the marches. That is what we are worried about," he said.
Mr Nunez has come under pressure after a series of incidents that have shocked public opinion, including a 15-year old who had his hand ripped off by a stun grenade in Lens in northern France.
Tragedy
Mr Nunez said a teenager losing his hand was a "tragedy" but that the police response has been overwhelmingly proportionate.
In total 10 probes have been launched by the inspection service of the national police, meaning there is a suspicion of use of excessive police force, out of 6,000 arrests since the protests started. Some 715 police personnel have been injured.
Mr Nunez described the recent clashes as as scenes as "urban violence" and stood by the police's tough response which he described as "proportionate" in the vast majority of cases.
School protests have been infiltrated by masked individuals, including adults, that have attacked teachers and school employees and set buildings ablaze.
"It is only natural that police officers and gendarmes have access to the full range of intermediate weapons at their disposal—provided they use them within a legal framework," Mr Nunez said.
School protests started on September 17 in the south-east Parisian suburb of Creteil in solidarity with teachers striking against the lack of staff and resources. They have since spread across the country amid generalised complaints over overcrowded and dilapidated education infrastructure.
