Riot police clash with demonstrators on biggest day of French student protests
Interior Ministry figures put turnout at 161,500 as riot police opened internal probes into 34 allegations of brutality.
- On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, nationwide protests gripped France as students, teachers, and unions marched demanding better classroom conditions; 214 schools closed, with union estimates of 480,000 participants versus official figures of 161,500.
- Demonstrations erupted after students returned to crumbling school facilities featuring leaking roofs, vermin, and frequent lesson cancellations, with protesters citing overcrowded classrooms and severe teacher shortages.
- Tensions escalated as police employed stun grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds; authorities opened internal investigations into 34 allegations of brutality while 147 teaching staff were injured.
- French Education Minister Edouard Geffray pledged to recruit 3,000 supply teachers; however, student activist Naouel from Brest rejected the offer, stating, "We are continuing the blockades."
- Broader demonstrations scheduled for Saturday, October 17, threaten to merge education protests with cost-of-living rallies, risking sustained unrest six months before France votes for a successor to President Emmanuel Macron.
146 Articles
146 Articles
Tens of Thousands March in Solidarity with Students in France
In France, tens of thousands of people marched on Tuesday in solidarity with protesting high school students; unions estimated turnout at almost half a million people. The Justice Ministry says more than 6,800 people, mostly minors, have been taken into custody, as rights groups and students accuse riot police of excessive force, including the use of tear gas, batons and blast balls. The movement began at a high school in the Paris suburbs last …
TVA Nouvelles
High schools and universities are still blocked in France on Wednesday, three days from school holidays.
High schools and universities are still blocked in France on Wednesday, three days from the school holidays on which the government put to bring the movement back, but the organizers call to continue it by joining demonstrations against "the expensive life" scheduled Saturday.
Protests demanding improved educational conditions in France have been spreading nationwide for the third week. On the 13th, 480,000 people gathered in Paris, demonstrating their determination to carry on the spirit of the 1968 revolution that led to the resignation of Charles de Gaulle and putting strong pressure on the current government.
The Economic Times
Times of IndiaFrance protests: Police use water cannon as Gen-Z demonstrations intensify
Protests in France intensify as police deploy water cannons to disperse demonstrators. The escalating demonstrations highlight growing unrest among young protesters, with Gen-Z taking to the streets amid mounting concerns and demands
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