France is grappling with a widening wave of student-led protests, as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across the country. What began in mid-September as isolated unrest has now expanded, drawing in university students, parents, and labor unions who marched in cities including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and Rennes. The movement, described by protesters as ‘Act Three,’ saw disruption in 891 high schools on Tuesday—nearly a quarter of all lycées—according to government data. According to students’ unions put the number at 450,000, and, The number of high schools blockaded was 1,800 on what the protesters dubbed “Act Three” of their movement. In Marseille, thousands of demonstrators moved around this city, stopping momentarily to chant before moving on as police changed direction. A group of masked protesters grabbed bollards and bins and tried to barricade themselves off from police. Including a website for students to express their grievances and an afternoon of internal discussion in schools on Friday, has made little impression so far, what has been offered. There seems little chance of the protests coming to an end just yet.
While students’ unions estimated the turnout at 450,000, official government figures recorded more than 250,000 participants. Demonstrators gathered at landmarks such as the Place de la République in Paris, rallying for better educational resources and protesting what they characterize as excessive police repression. The atmosphere remained tense, with authorities deploying tear gas in Paris and Marseille, and utilizing water cannons in Rennes.
The scale of the unrest has sparked significant concern regarding police conduct. Official investigations are underway, including inquiries by the IGPN police inspectorate. Prosecutors have already charged one officer with ‘violence resulting in mutilation or permanent disability’ following an incident last week in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône, where 14-year-old Eden sustained a fractured jaw and permanent tooth loss after being struck by a tear-gas grenade during a school blockade. In a separate incident on Monday in Lens, a 15-year-old lost his hand following an explosion involving an anti-encirclement ‘sting ball’ grenade. While local authorities claim the youth picked up the device after a confrontation involving stone-throwing, students allege he was struck directly by police fire. Eden, 14, was part of a group blockading the Château d’Ãpluches lycée for 15-18-year-olds when he was hit in the face.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has publicly condemned the violence, reporting that 215 students, 85 staff members, and 715 police officers have sustained injuries since the protests began. In parliamentary remarks, he accused the radical-left France Unbowed (LFI) party of inciting chaos ahead of the upcoming presidential election. Education Minister Édouard Geffray maintained that the government prefers dialogue over blockades, though he criticized the presence of ‘ultra-violent elements’ within the student movement. Current government efforts to address grievances, such as creating a student feedback website and scheduling internal school discussions, have yet to appease the protesters.
For many students, the issue is fundamental to their daily experience. ‘Most of us aren’t violent,’ stated Alissa, a student in Marseille. She and fellow classmates reported that deteriorating school conditions, including leaking ceilings, have hindered their education. Demonstrators have vowed to continue their actions until concrete measures are implemented. With France’s largest union, the CGT, planning additional protests involving university and high school students for Thursday, the government faces sustained pressure. President Emmanuel Macron, who is approaching the end of his term, was set to convene with ministers at the Élysée Palace to evaluate the situation as political tensions rise with opposition figures like LFI’s Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the National Rally’s Marine Le Pen closely watching the unrest. According to her friend, Sacha,, The ceilings in Marseille’s schools were leaking and conditions were generally rather poor, “so we can’t really work a lot of time”. “We will keep doing this until good measures are taken,” he added.
