French high school protests block 1,800 schools and 57 university sites

Major protests by pupils and university students have affected thousands of education establishments across France today, said the leading union representing high school pupils. 

The Union Syndicale Lycéenne (USL) said that 1,800 high schools have been impacted by action as of 11:00 today.

This includes high schools (lycées, for pupils aged 15 - 17/18) disrupted by protests, as well as those closed by authorities to prevent damage or disruption.

A report at midday from the Interior Ministry said that 86,000 people had joined demonstrations and marches in cities outside of Paris, with the march in the capital set to begin at 14:00. 

The union said this is the largest disruption caused by any protest action led by pupils, and has urged all high school pupils to join marches in a ‘safe and determined’ manner.

In a report this morning, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said ‘several dozen’ disruptions had been reported in the morning, and in its midday update the education ministry said classes at 900 lycées had been affected, either by partial or total closure.

University students have joined the protests, with all mainland French universities reportedly facing disruption from demonstrations, and 57 sites being blockaded or closed.

A site does not necessarily constitute an entire university, but can be a wing or building of a wider complex.

Some universities had already been closed by authorities today, as demonstrations were expected.

Marches and demonstrations are being held across France by students and pupils, joined by many of France’s major trade unions.

These unions have sent security to major demonstrations today, both to protect pupils against police aggression and limit violent protesting from teenagers. 

Parents, called to join demonstrations by pupil and parents’ associations, have done so in many locations, including in Paris, where they have formed a ‘human chain’ to avoid violence. 

Teachers have also joined demonstrations at many locations, to protect pupils, as have some politicians, including La France Insoumise politicians. 

Widespread violence 

Pupil protests have erupted in the last two weeks across France. Originating in the Parisian suburbs, the protests quickly became a nationwide movement, with pupils citing poor classroom conditions, a lack of funding for schools, overworked teachers, and a lack of supply staff. 

Protests became increasingly violent last week, culminating in hundreds of schools being blockaded or set alight, and clashes between police and pupils. 

These clashes have continued to escalate, with over 6,000 arrests and hundreds of injuries.

An incident in Lens (Pas-de-Calais) yesterday saw a teenager’s hand blown off after he picked up a stun grenade, a type of crowd-control grenade, fired by a police officer.  

Marine Tondelier, Green Party national secretary and candidate for the 2027 presidential election who went to high school in Lens, called police action in response to the protests a form of “extraordinary repression,” highlighting both these grenades and rubber bullet launchers used by the officers. 

Both weapons are used “nowhere else in Europe for protests,” she said in a press conference in Lens today. 

“These grenades are supposed to be used only on the ground and only if the officer is truly completely surrounded… They are classified as weapons of war.

“I never would have believed that I or any of my classmates could be threatened by weapons of war, as happened yesterday.” 

At least 215 pupils have been injured, said the government, most of these “by accidents [or] at the hands of outside individuals,” despite widespread claims of police violence.

The government said 715 police officers and gendarmes have been injured during the protests. In addition, 85 teachers and other school staff have been injured.

The Inspection générale de la Police nationale (IGPN, investigators into police action), has opened 10 investigations into various incidents across the protests. 

This includes an investigation against a police officer in Metz, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage protester while he was arresting her.

So far today, there has been no major report of police or protester violence, as some early marches have begun, notably in Marseille.

Public service broadcaster FranceInfo called the atmosphere at the Marseille march “festive”. 

Education ministry responds

France’s education ministry is looking to quell the protests with an online platform allowing high school pupils to share their grievances.

All pupils can share their comments and concerns via a link sent to them until October 23, and these can be shared anonymously (or they can name their school and regional education authority if they wish). 

“Once that is done, these contributions will be analysed and shared,” said Education Minister Edouard Geffray to FranceInfo. 

“The action plan we have already begun implementing, and which will continue in light of this feedback, will be measurable. There will be a timeline, and I will be able to report on progress,” he added.

So far, the government has already announced that plans included in the original draft of the 2027 budget to charge enrolment fees for certain vocational and preparation classes for France’s exclusive ‘grandes écoles’ would be removed.