Up to 500 French schools faced closures as student protests against dilapidated facilities, overcrowded classrooms, and teacher shortages merged with public sector strikes.
Students Blockade Schools over Poor Conditions
High school and university students across France emptied out of their buildings to stage blockades. The demonstrations started on September 17 at a high school in the Paris suburb of Créteil and quickly spread nationwide, fueled by student grievances over missing teachers, run-down buildings, and long days running from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The movement intensified when it coincided with public sector strikes involving teachers. Education Minister Edouard Geffray reported that teaching establishments were widely affected, with hundreds of schools closed as authorities struggled to contain the disruption.
The unrest grew after word of the movement spread widely on social media platforms, particularly TikTok. Out of roughly 3,700 upper secondary schools or lycées in the country, 1,027 were affected at various points by the disruptions. Students joined blockades across 30 university campuses as well, voicing anger over inadequate resources, leaking roofs, and overcrowded classrooms where students reported sitting 35 to a room.
Supporters of the student movement pointed to long-standing systemic issues within the national education system. According to ministry figures, some 20 million class hours went untaught in the 2024–25 academic year due to chronic staffing shortages, leaving certain classes without substitute teachers for entire terms.
Violent Clashes Lead to Thousands of Arrests
While many demonstrations began with peaceful blockades, parts of the movement turned violent, involving bin fires, torched bus shelters, and projectiles hurled at security forces. Riot police responded with tear gas, batons, and riot-control rounds.
According to the interior ministry, about 5,000 people had been arrested since the start of the movement, with 87% of those detained being minors. The unrest also resulted in severe injuries on both sides. A 15-year-old protesting against dilapidated schools had his hand blown off when he picked up a sting-ball grenade deployed by riot officers.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that the police had launched ten internal investigations into allegations of brutality.
Education officials confirmed that dozens of headteachers and education staff members were injured during the confrontations, with buildings across multiple cities sustaining significant damage from fires and vandalism.
Budget Savings Drive Sparks Political Division
The protests arrived as Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s government prepared to present its draft 2027 budget, which includes a planned €54 billion savings drive aimed at curbing public debt. The education budget was slated to increase by a below-inflation 1.7% to €65.53 billion, excluding teacher pensions.
Political reactions divided sharply along party lines ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Far-right National Rally figures called for order and criticized the left, while veteran La France Insoumise leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon supported the student mobilization while urging participants to remain non-violent.
Students, teachers and educational staff are facing the same state of neglect and their positions and claims should be respected.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, LFI presidential candidate, via DW
National Rally leader Marine Le Pen accused the hard left of organizing and orchestrating the unrest through political deputies, demanding the implementation of stricter anti-rioting laws. Meanwhile, government officials argued that radical activists had infiltrated student groups and hijacked the demonstrations to provoke extreme violence against public servants.
Trade Unions Support Student Demands
Major trade unions, including the CGT and the teachers’ union SNES-FSU, endorsed the student demands and joined a nationwide day of mobilization. Sophie Binet, head of the CGT labour union, stated that unionists marched to protect high-school students and prevent violence on the margins of the rallies.
Prime Minister Lecornu’s office called for peaceful opposition and a return to structured, legal democratic expression. The government also pursued legislation to make individuals responsible for public property damage pay for repairs themselves, a proposal criticized by union leaders for potentially targeting vulnerable families.
In response to the demonstrations, Prime Minister Lecornu acknowledged the legitimacy of the students’ grievances regarding building conditions and school schedules, promising visible changes. Government officials announced plans to review lengthy school days and examine dilapidated infrastructure, even as security measures and mass arrests continued across the country.