More than 400 detained as France student protests erupt


More than 400 people, mainly minors, were detained across France for students blocking schools, said Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.


Black smoke billows from burning bins and bicycles as students carry out a blocking protest at a secondary school in Lille

The demonstrations began in Paris and have seen teenagers blockade their schools for days, driven by complaints over overcrowded classes and a chronic teacher shortage.


Officials reported at least 10 teachers and several students, plus 48 law‑enforcement officers, injured during Tuesday's protests. The education ministry said roughly 400 schools were affected.


Images and videos showed bins set alight and bus stops damaged by the demonstrators.


“We’re here to deliver a message,” a 16‑year‑old female student told AFP. “We’re not here to smash everything up for no reason. The teachers are overworked, and each class holds 34 students – it’s simply unfeasible.”


Education Minister Édouard Geffray said students have the right to protest but condemned the violence as “indefensible”.


Nunez told BFMTV that 440 people were detained, adding that two thirds were taken into police custody.


French media reported protesters hurled projectiles at police, who responded with batons and tear gas.


Ryad Rani, president of Union Syndicale Lycéenne, accused the government of re‑pression and the police of using excessive force.


When asked about the police response, Nunez defended it as “carried out in an extremely proportionate manner”.


Geffray wrote on X that the fundamental freedom to demonstrate cannot justify actions that endanger students or public workers. He called for ending call‑outs to extend blockades, deeming them irresponsible.


The protests ran alongside nationwide walkouts by unions of teachers, hospital staff and civil servants, who cited low wages and poor working conditions. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu warned on X that any escalation would be irresponsible after the arrest of 164 people and the prevalence of fireworks, fires and violence near schools.


While the bulk of the broader protests—reported to involve at least 200,000 participants—went without incident, the school demonstrations have drawn sharp scrutiny over police tactics and the state’s handling of educational reform.