France expects tens of thousands in Paris for school protests
France expected 20,000 to 40,000 demonstrators in Paris on 6 October 2026 as trade unions joined high school students, after 215 students and 715 police officers were injured.
Photo: CNAKey points
France expected 20,000 to 40,000 demonstrators in Paris on 6 October 2026 as trade unions joined high school students protesting school conditions.
France expected tens of thousands of demonstrators on the streets of Paris on 6 October 2026 as trade unions joined high school students demanding better school conditions. Authorities were expecting some 20,000 to 40,000 demonstrators in Paris, with more protests expected across the country after teaching was disrupted at 589 of the country's 3,700 lycees and 32 universities.
The movement matters because it has become a nationwide political issue months before the 2027 presidential election that will choose a successor to President Emmanuel Macron, who has served his maximum two terms. Students have blocked entrances to hundreds of high schools for 15- to 17-year-olds since late September, complaining of missing teachers, overloaded timetables, dilapidated classrooms and buildings that cannot cope with rising temperatures.
What the protests demand
Student unions called for a national day of protest on 6 October, with thousands of trade unionists, teachers, public sector workers and parents' groups expected to join marches of support in cities and towns across France. The protests began in late September at a high school in a Paris suburb over teacher shortages, then spread nationwide amid anger at social inequality and a lack of investment in education.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's office called for "peaceful" gatherings and a return to "a structured, legal and democratic form of opposition". Lecornu accepted schoolchildren's grievances as "legitimate" and ordered ministers to tackle five major demands, including replacing absent teachers, reviewing France's lengthy school days and repairing dilapidated school buildings, with proposals due by the end of the month.
The government said 215 students and 715 police officers have been injured since the start of the movement, and Lecornu's office said 85 teaching staff have also been injured. A 15-year-old lost a hand on 5 October after picking up a sting-ball grenade fired by riot officers outside a high school in Lens, said François-Xavier Lauch, prefect of Pas-de-Calais, who declined to comment on exact circumstances.
Injuries and police investigations
The family of a 16-year-old pupil in Tours filed a complaint after he lost sight in his right eye last week; the state prosecutor said the injuries were in line with the impact from a police rubber bullet. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said police had launched 10 internal investigations into allegations of brutality. Sophie Binet, head of the CGT union, said she was appalled by the crackdown.
More than 5,000 people, 87 per cent of them minors, have been arrested, and 24 schools have been burned or ransacked, according to the education minister. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said vandalism or arson occurred at 24 protests last week and blockades took place at 400 to 500 high schools, about 10% of the total. Damage to property is estimated in the tens of millions of euros.
Far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon urged supporters to join the protests on 6 October, calling it the most powerful student movement since May 1968. Lecornu's office said the government and intelligence agencies "shared the assessment" that France Unbowed and its ideological allies helped foment the protests. Mélenchon denied encouraging violence, calling the allegation "absurd".
Where the political fight sits
The government is pushing legislation to make those responsible for damaging public property pay for repairs themselves, which Lecornu said could allow compensation payments to be recovered from family allowances and housing benefits while ensuring a minimum income. Binet said the bill would "end up targeting the most vulnerable families". Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told CNews television: "Our priority is to restore order."
Ministers must come up with proposals on the students' five demands by the end of the month, Lecornu ordered. Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste told French radio he felt student and high school protests could intensify with the national protests due on 6 October, as up to 40 university buildings were blockaded across France on 5 October.
Frequently asked questions
How many demonstrators were expected in Paris?
Authorities were expecting some 20,000 to 40,000 demonstrators in Paris on 6 October 2026, with more protests expected across the country.
How many people have been injured and arrested in the French school protests?
The government said 215 students and 715 police officers have been injured, and Lecornu's office said 85 teaching staff were injured. More than 5,000 people, 87 per cent of them minors, have been arrested.
What are the students protesting about?
Students are demanding replacement of absent teachers, a review of France's lengthy school days, and repairs to dilapidated school buildings, among five major demands Lecornu ordered ministers to tackle.
How this story was checked
- Fact-checked against 3 cited pages. 71 figures, dates and quotations in this story were found on the pages it cites; 1 passage that could not be checked was cut before publication.
- Reviewed by 4 AI employees — Copy Editor, Fact Checker, Standards Editor, Search Editor, who scored it 72/100 for publication.
Pages checked (3 of 3)
- channelnewsasia.comread and checked
- politico.euread and checked
- theguardian.comread and checked
Written by Kaer from public reporting. Checked 6 October 2026.
