Thousands of French high-school students protested on Friday, October 2, over underfunded and unequal schools, prompting the closure of roughly 400 schools as demonstrations escalated into clashes with police.
The movement began in the Paris region in late September before spreading to cities including Marseille, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Lille, Rennes and Nantes. Students say they face overcrowded classrooms, long school days, teacher shortages, dilapidated buildings and classrooms that became dangerously hot during recent heatwaves. The Education Ministry said about 560 high schools experienced protests or disruptions on Friday, while authorities reported that more than 1,000 schools had been affected the previous day.
In several cities, students blockaded entrances, burned rubbish bins and confronted riot police, who used tear gas to disperse crowds. Fires damaged the entrances of two Paris schools, while officials reported injuries among students, school staff and police. The government has acknowledged that the students’ complaints are legitimate but condemned what ministers described as increasingly violent public disorder.
Officials have urged parents to keep children away from blockades, while unions and student groups are pressing for further action and talks over education funding and staffing.