Youth protests in France gained momentum on Thursday after high school and college student organizations called for the blocking of public educational institutions and announced the preparation of a national mobilization for next week. Demonstrations and blockades are taking place on the day when the French government will present the country’s 2027 budget, which is expected to include spending cuts.
High school students complaining about overcrowded classes and a lack of teachers have announced that they are organizing the „Act two” of their protest movement on Thursday, alongside college students.
The demonstrations and blockades, which began last week and coincided on Tuesday with a broader strike in the public sector, come at a sensitive time for France: the government will present the country's 2027 budget on Thursday, which is expected to include spending cuts to reduce financial pressure on public finances.
Hundreds detained and over 100 students and teachers injured
Sabrine Kharbach, spokesperson for the French student union, announced that 30 universities were blocked by 10:00 a.m. "By comparison, on the first day of the blockades against pension reform, seven universities were blocked," she said, quoted by Le Figaro. According to the union representative, the scale of the movement stems from the "intensity of the anger" felt by students.
The student union expects the mobilization to expand. The organization is calling for a new day of blockades on October 6, although protests could continue until then.
The protest that started about a week ago affected 356 schools throughout France on Wednesday, up from 338 on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
On Wednesday, 625 people were detained, and 83 police officers and gendarmes were injured. Since the start of the demonstrations, 119 students and teaching staff have been injured, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Édouard Geffray.
Violence spreads
Protests on Thursday were also marked by violence in several cities:
- Marseille: A military firefighters' vehicle from the Navy was vandalized and set on fire in front of Saint-Exupéry High School. A firefighter was slightly injured. Additionally, several buses were attacked, and the drivers were forced to abandon them in haste. One of them was assaulted.
- Nantes: A fire broke out at Nelson Mandela High School. Public transportation in the area was disrupted, and law enforcement is on the scene. According to witnesses, intervention units used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
- Toulouse: A fire broke out on a tram line, disrupting traffic. Firefighters intervened to extinguish the flames, and specialized law enforcement forces were mobilized on the scene to manage public disturbances.
- Nice: Police report "high tension" in Nice and Antibes. In Nice, several individuals with covered faces were observed, and mortar-type fireworks were reported, as well as the setting of dumpsters on fire. Three riot control teams from the Police were deployed near Parc-Impérial and Magnan high schools in Nice, following disturbances from the previous day. So far, 50 arrests have been made in the department, including six overnight. Additionally, two people were detained after illegally entering a high school in Menton.
Macron understands the anger but condemns violence
French President Emmanuel Macron insisted on Wednesday that high school students' protests do not justify "violence." "I hear and understand the concerns - and sometimes the anger - that our young people may feel… However, none of these debates or fears justify violence. And, under no circumstances, should political leaders legitimize the escalation of violence," said Macron during a press conference held in Madrid alongside Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, after politicians from the far-right party Unsubmissive France joined the demonstrations.
Political leaders "are there by virtue of a democratic mandate, because they were peacefully elected in an organized framework; they are not there to fuel fears and incite the worst," the French President added.
T.D.