A student protest movement over classroom conditions has turned increasingly violent, and Education Minister Edouard Geffray reported that disturbances have been noted at more than 560 institutions.
The unrest, which began last week in the Paris area before spreading to cities including Marseille, Strasbourg, Tours, Nantes, Toulouse, and Lille, has resulted in at least 170 wounded students and 65 injured school staff members, including 40 principals. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that approximately 2,000 people have been detained, the majority of whom are children. Darmanin asserted that parents should be held liable for damages and “pay for repairs.” In the southern Alpes-Maritimes region, the regional government said police arrested 10 high school students on Monday for throwing projectiles, setting fires, and other violent acts that injured two students.
Causes of Student Unrest
Students have rallied against large class sizes, absent teachers, and deteriorating school conditions. One 15-year-old student in Pantin told Reuters that classes have 35 students and lack enough chairs, while lunch breaks are too short for everyone to get food. Other grievances cited include long school days and a lack of investment in education.
Tensions were further fueled by the government’s 2027 budget unveiling, which indicated that education spending would rise by only 1.7%—excluding teacher pensions—an increase that is below the rate of inflation. These protests coincide with a public sector strike against government budget plans. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is attempting to secure enough support to pass the 2027 budget through a divided parliament where opponents resist spending cuts while households face other expenses and soaring energy costs.
Students Clash with Police During School Blockades
Demonstrations have involved students blockading schools, lighting street fires, and clashing with police. In Paris, the fire brigade was called to extinguish blazes that damaged the entrances of Gaston-Bachelard and Leonard de Vinci high schools. In Strasbourg, a student described the scene at the University of Strasbourg as a “battlefield” where a peaceful demonstration turned into a brawl involving tear gas.
Sam Elsey, a second-year law student from Luxembourg at the University of Strasbourg, told RTL that objects were set on fire at the main entrance and classes were evacuated. Elsey, who escaped through an emergency exit with 100 other students, said it was a shame that rioters seeking to set fires and smash things typically exploit such causes in France. He noted that the Luxembourgish law students he knew were safe.
Amnesty International described images of law enforcement assaulting high school students as “extremely alarming,” stating that minors “must be protected, not beaten with batons.” The organization added that “many are minors, children.” In response to the danger, Minister Geffray warned parents to “tell their children not to go” to the protests, declaring that “what matters now is ensuring our children are no longer out on the streets, because they are in danger.”
French Politicians Dispute Origins of Student Protests
French intelligence agencies told a government crisis meeting that the protests were initiated by LFI politicians. Senior LFI official Manuel Bompard dismissed this as a “conspiracy theory,” while party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused the government of repressing students with “ferocity” and a “racist undertone.”
Mélenchon, a 75-year-old former senator and anti-capitalist who placed third in the 2022 presidential election and fourth in 2012 and 2017, hopes to qualify for the May 2 run-off after the April 18 first round of voting. He urged LFI supporters to get involved “wherever you can” and told the government, “Don’t touch our young people.”
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu rejected the racism allegations as an “insult,” arguing that students, staff, and police all have rights to safety and respect. He wrote that condemning those who attack high school students should be easier than “fanning the flames” or “smearing those who protect them.” While Minister Geffray announced plans to meet with student associations and education unions to find room for dialogue, it remains unclear if these meetings will resolve the underlying grievances.
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