Mass high school student protests over dilapidated conditions and austerity measures erupted into nationwide unrest across France in October 2026, resulting in hundreds of arrests, numerous injuries, and intense political debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Students Blockade Schools Over Decaying Facilities
The unrest began in late September when students aged 15 to 17 blocked entrances to hundreds of high schools across France. Demonstrators cited severe institutional neglect, including overloaded timetables, teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, worn-out buildings, and facilities that cannot cope with rising temperatures.
Thomas, a 17-year-old student from the Paris suburb of Val-de-Marne, told reporters that some classrooms lacked enough desks and chairs, while school bathrooms had no doors, toilet paper, or soap.
Demonstrators March and Clash in Major Cities
The Interior Ministry estimated that 256,000 people joined protests nationwide, whereas union organisers put the figure at 450,000 as crowds filled the streets of major French cities by early October.
While many marches remained peaceful, sporadic violence broke out in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and other urban centers. Large numbers of riot police were deployed in the square and surrounding streets, while metro stations near the Champs-Elysées, presidential palace, parliament, and government offices were closed at police request. In Lyon, France’s third-largest city, where about 20,000 protesters joined the march, smoke and flames were seen rising after a fire broke out inside a tourist office. In Marseille, protesters damaged shops and a municipal police station, while some demonstrators briefly forced their way into the lobby of City Hall. Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan described the damage in City Hall as “limitedand told BFM TV that it was
unacceptable.” On Tuesday, climate and social justice activist Greta Thunberg joined students at a high school in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis.
Nuñez’s office also reported violence by masked groups in Rennes, Toulouse, Montpellier, and Grenoble. Overall arrests since the movement’s inception surpassed 6,500, predominantly involving minors, with nearly 500 arrests occurring in a single day. Government figures indicate that 24 schools have been burned or ransacked.
Police Tactics Draw Scrutiny Amid Rising Injuries
The confrontation between security forces and demonstrators generated intense scrutiny over police tactics.
In response to mounting public pressure and injuries, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told radio broadcaster RTL that he had suspended the police use of stun grenades against young demonstrators and noted that police had opened 18 internal investigations into allegations of misconduct, with a policeman also charged over an incident. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu attempted to calm tensions in a televised address, promising a plan to respond to the crisis by the end of October, acknowledging that the anger of young people does not come from nowhere, and denying that security forces have orders to confront the youth.
Political Figures React to the Unrest
The student-led crisis unfolded against the backdrop of France’s approaching 2027 presidential election to choose a successor to centrist President Emmanuel Macron. Meanwhile, veteran hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon strongly supported the protests, with student demonstrators frequently chanting Mélenchon for President!
and applauding his desire for a wealth tax and lowering the voting age to 16.
