Student protests have closed more than 300 schools and resulted in around 5,000 arrests.
NSANZIMANA SylverOct 5, 20264 min read
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Student protests have closed more than 300 schools and resulted in around 5,000 arrests.
Protests in French high schools have reached a new high, with Paris police saying that nearly 5,000 people have been arrested across the country for violence and ongoing protests. This is a number that has not been seen in recent years.On October 4, 2026 at 17:55, the Paris Police Chief, Patrice Faure, announced that the protests, which began in Paris last week, have now spread to all provinces including Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Lille, where more than 300 schools have closed their doors.
Patrice Faure asked the students to do so peacefully, avoiding violence and vandalism, or the security forces will take strong measures to suppress it, saying that the government will not tolerate the country being plunged into chaos.
The protests, which began in Paris last week, have spread to different parts of the country, with demonstrators demanding that the French government led by President Emmanuel Macron address pressing issues including overcrowding in classrooms, a shortage of teachers and their substitutes, a shortage of chairs, and dilapidated buildings.
Since the protests began on Monday last week, more than 5,000 people, mostly teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15-18, have been arrested across the country, and many others have been injured while trying to confront the police.
On October 3, 2026, French Police Spokesperson Agathe Foucault told RTL Radio that more than 600 police officers had been injured in these protests, some by stones thrown at them, others by Molotov cocktails used by students.
He continued by saying that teachers and other ordinary citizens were attacked, while the damage was estimated at several million euros, including 20 buses burned, 15 schools damaged and shop windows broken in Paris.
In an open letter, Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure, who marked the X ahead of another protest scheduled to begin on Tuesday this week, said that many of those who initiated the protests had been arrested, and called on students to desist from violent acts.
He said, "It's time for you to take action peacefully. Closing schools and burning tires is not a right, it's a crime."
He reminded parents that they have a responsibility to protect their children from being deceived by those he called "professional troublemakers" and their supporters, saying that extremist groups are using children for political gain.
The student union has called on students to participate in a nationwide day of protests scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, saying they will not leave the streets unless the government allows them reforms.
On the other hand, security officials are concerned that the planned protests could again show violence and other acts of security disruption, and the Police have already deployed 12,000 officers to the streets.
The problem of education in France:
France has been in a state of severe educational deficit for two years. In September 2026, the Ministry of Education announced a shortage of 8,000 teachers in secondary schools, with 35 students in every classroom for 25, and many buildings built in the 1960s that have not been renovated. This has pushed France down to 23rd place in the EU in terms of education, down from a previous ranking in the top five.
Security issue:
When it comes to security, the French police are in a difficult situation. After the Gilets Jaunes, the farmers' and the train workers' protests, now it's the students'. The police are exhausted, the overtime hours have increased, many are on sick leave due to stress. The Macron government has been accused of using excessive force instead of addressing the root causes.
The protests are taking place as the French government prepares its 2027 budget, in which education spending could increase by just 1.7%, a number students say is too small compared to their problems, saying they need at least 7%.
Tuganire newsroom
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