French police clashed with student protest groups in several cities as the demonstrations have spread nationwide, showing no sign of ending until students receive the reforms they demand.
On Tuesday, 6 Oct 2026 GMT+7, high school student protests in France rapidly expanded, drawing parents, university students, and labor unions to join demonstrations in major cities nationwide, including Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Rennes, where confrontations with police also occurred.
The government reported over 250,000 protesters and the suspension of classes at 891 high schools—nearly a quarter of the country—while student unions claimed up to 450,000 participants and blockades at more than 1,800 high schools.
The protests began in mid-September over dissatisfaction with overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating school buildings such as leaking roofs, and teacher shortages, escalating to demands for increased education budgets and opposition to harsh police crackdowns.
Reports indicate riot police used tear gas to control protests in Paris and Marseille and deployed high-pressure water cannons in Rennes, with approximately 1,000 injuries recorded since the protests began: 215 students, 85 school staff, and 715 police officers.
In recent days, French police have faced severe criticism for excessive force, including a 14-year-old youth shot in the face with a tear gas canister, resulting in a broken jaw and lost teeth, and a 15-year-old losing a hand due to a pressure bomb. Since 28 Sept, a total of 6,547 people have been detained or arrested.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned the earlier violence and accused the left-wing party France Unbowed (LFI) in parliament of trying to “sow the seeds of chaos” ahead of the presidential election in seven months.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Édouard Cheffrey stated that since the unrest began, he has called for dialogue over school blockades and accused “violent extremist groups” of infiltrating the high school student movement.
Alissa, a student from Marseille, said, “Most of us do not support violence. We take to the streets because they have closed our schools... The schools are falling apart.”
Another student and Alissa’s friend, Sasha, described leaking ceilings in many Marseille schools and generally poor conditions “making it impossible for us to study normally,” warning, “We will continue this until effective corrective measures are taken.”
Alain, a retired teacher around 70 years old who joined the protest in Paris with his wife Michel, said, “We are the grandparents of three grandchildren who are all involved in the movement. In recent days, they have peacefully protested outside their own high schools but have still been subjected to tear gas.”
Meanwhile, the CGT labor union, France’s largest, announced plans to escalate protests alongside student groups on Thursday.
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Source:bbc