France, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets on Tuesday, demanding education reform. The protests have already led to the closure of more than half of the nation’s high schools.
Since the protests began in September, French authorities have detained about 6,100 people. At least 715 police officers and 215 students have been injured in the unrest, according to Reuters.
Footage from Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, Marseille and Nantes shows protesters clashing with police, setting fires and evading tear‑gas. Demonstrators in several cities carried signs reading, “The state has killed national education,” Reuters reported.
Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the situation in France reflects uncontrolled mass migration and that Islam is attempting to dominate the country.
TEEN’S HAND BLOWN OFF BY POLICE GRENADE DURING FRENCH STUDENT PROTESTS: REPORT
Riot police use a water cannon as they face students during a protest against under‑resourced schools in Rennes, western France, on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (Jeremias Gonzalez/AP)
In response to mounting damage and injuries, authorities started closing schools last week. By Tuesday, 891 schools were fully or partially shut, according to the Education Ministry, and the High School Students Union reported that more than half of France’s high schools were closed or blockaded.
Students highlighted deplorable conditions, citing classrooms lacking desks and chairs, extreme heat without air conditioning, and, in some cases, rat infestations.
French riot police stand near burning objects during clashes with protesters in Paris on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (Reuters)
Additional grievances focus on staffing shortages, heavy workloads, and among the highest compulsory class hours in Europe for French high‑school students.
Roberta, a recent Parisian high‑school graduate, told Reuters, “We need more funding for the national education system so that high schools can be renovated.”
FRANCE ROCKED BY STUDENT RIOTS AS HUNDREDS ARRESTED, VIOLENCE SPREADS NATIONWIDE
Students march with a large red banner reading “Police officers, enemy of the people” during a protest against under‑resourced schools in Rennes, western France, on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. (Jeremias Gonzalez/AP)
During a demonstration on Monday, a 15‑year‑old in Lens picked up a police dispersal grenade, which exploded, resulting in the loss of his hand and part of his lower arm, officials said.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has instructed ministers to consider student demands, which include repairing aging school facilities, extending lunch breaks, and reviewing the 8 a.m.–6 p.m. school day, according to Reuters.
French riot police officers remove elements of a burning street barricade during a demonstration by French high school and university students in Lyon on Oct. 6, 2026. (Reuters)
University student Félix Barney told The Associated Press that the police response appeared disproportionate.
“It makes no sense to target minors,” he added.
A masked protester throws an object amid clashes with French police during a demonstration in Paris on Tuesday. (Reuters)
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez defended the police actions, stating that the response has been proportionate in “almost all cases.”
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.
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