High school students in Paris' deprived suburbs spark national protest movement
Education Minister Édouard Geffray said 3,000 substitute teachers will be deployed as protests leave hundreds of high schools closed and thousands detained.
- On Thursday, October 8, 2026, thousands of students converged on Bastille Square in Paris, continuing nationwide protests demanding better school conditions despite government attempts to ease the crisis.
- Student demonstrators complain of absent teachers, dilapidated classrooms, and buildings unable to cope with rising temperatures; student unions demand a €10 billion investment in high school and university-level education.
- Authorities suspended the use of stun grenades after a teenager lost a hand earlier this week, though rights groups and students continue accusing police of using disproportionate force during confrontations.
- Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu promised a plan to respond to the crisis by the end of October, while Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced an emergency plan for teacher replacements within coming days.
- Student unions scheduled another nationwide day of demonstrations for October 13, as officials claim hard-left political parties are fueling the movement to exploit student frustrations for electoral purposes.
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630 Articles
Massive school strikes, riots, police violence. What started as a harmless protest in France is causing a crisis. The candidates of the presidential election next year know how to use this. A report from Paris.
Arab News
The Frontier PostFrench students return to class, plan more protests as UN voices concern
Students in France returned to classes after protests over educational conditions, while the UN expressed concerns regarding the violence during these events.
The government has promised to hire 3,000 teachers, while 141 schools remain closed. Hundreds of people were arrested in demonstrations on October 8.
'We call on everyone to ensure that they remain peaceful and that there is no disproportionate use of force by law enforcement,' says spokesperson
The protests of pupils and students in France continue. What drives the young people? Here are some answers, collected on the margins of demonstrations in Paris.
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