French students have risen up to close schools nationwide, protesting to demand more teachers and education funding. Meanwhile, trash bins were set on fire causing blazes to spread to schools. Over 300 police officers were injured, and more than 2,000 students have been arrested.
On 2 October 2026, students across France continued protests and school blockades nationwide, demanding government action on teacher and staff shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and deteriorating school buildings. Multiple school fires and violence occurred in some areas. Reports detailed fires at two high schools in Nantes, western France. Images from Rouen in the north showed flames engulfing a school entrance.
According to reports from Nantes, both fires began after trash bins were set ablaze, with flames spreading to the entrance of Nelson Mandela High School, damaging the main hall. In Marseille, southern France, staff at Victor Hugo High School were doused with gasoline; protesters were seen filling containers with fuel. In the north, the principal of De Gourlier High School in the village of Auchel suffered ear injuries from a misdirected firework.
The French Ministry of the Interior stated that on Thursday, 1,949 people were arrested and 305 police officers were injured. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called an emergency meeting to discuss the unrest. Afterward, the government described the student protests as having escalated into "urban violence."
The protests and blockades at secondary schools for students aged 15–18 began last week and have since spread to hundreds of schools nationwide. The Ministry of the Interior reported 1,027 schools affected by protests, with 222 closed. University students joined protests on Thursday, leading to closures of at least 30 universities, including those in Rennes and Paris.
. Source: BBC