250,000 march across France as student protests over schools escalate

More than 250,000 people took to the streets across France on Tuesday as a student-led protest over worsening school conditions widened to include teachers, parents and trade unions, with clashes erupting between demonstrators and police in several cities.

The protests, which began with high school students blocking hundreds of schools, have grown into a broader movement demanding improved learning conditions, more teachers and better-funded schools.

Students aged between 15 and 17 have complained of staff shortages, overcrowded timetables and deteriorating classrooms and school buildings that struggle to cope with rising temperatures.

The demonstrations have also triggered growing controversy over police tactics, with rights groups, unions and students accusing security forces of using excessive force.

A 15-year-old student lost a hand on Monday after police fired a sting-ball grenade during a protest in the northern town of Lens. Another student reportedly lost several teeth after being struck by a police launcher round the previous week.

In Paris, thousands gathered at Place de la République, carrying banners calling for greater investment in education. Two men in climbing gear scaled the nearby monument and unfurled a banner reading, “Neglected schools, sacrificed youth.”

“Gen Z has risen up and wants to be heard,” 19-year-old Lilia told AFP during the march, saying she hoped President Emmanuel Macron would listen.

The Paris demonstration was largely peaceful, but tensions escalated near its eastern endpoint, where police fired tear gas after some protesters threw rocks at officers equipped with riot shields.

Police officials said about 300 “hostile individuals” were attempting to confront officers.

A young man with a head injury was also seen receiving treatment from volunteer medics.

The government said 215 students and 715 police officers had been injured since the protests began.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned violence linked to the demonstrations, telling lawmakers there was “no room for tolerance of violence”.

“Burning down a high school does not improve the state of high school buildings,” he said, rejecting allegations that his government had ordered police repression against the protesters.

While most demonstrations have remained peaceful, authorities said some protesters had set fires, damaged bus shelters and confronted riot police. Security forces have responded with batons, tear gas and riot-control rounds.

The government has also reported widespread arrests, saying more than 5,000 people have been detained since the movement began, with 87 per cent of those arrested being minors.

The Education Ministry said 24 schools had been burned or ransacked, while the prime minister’s office reported that 85 teaching staff had also been injured.

The protests have attracted growing support from adults, including teachers and parents.

In Rennes, teacher Romain Dubourg said colleagues decided to join the demonstrations after discussing what they considered police brutality.

In Lyon, parents organised in support of the students, while teacher Rindala Younes said she wanted to help pupils “convey their message peacefully”.

“The high school students’ demands are legitimate,” she said.

Amnesty International called on French authorities to end what it described as “disproportionate police repression” during the student protests.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said police had opened 10 internal investigations into allegations of misconduct.

In Metz, prosecutors requested a police inquiry after video footage appeared to show a plainclothes officer inappropriately touching a detained female student under the age of 15.

The government has sought to respond to the students’ complaints while accusing the hard-left France Unbowed party of encouraging the movement.

Party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has backed the protests but called for demonstrators to avoid violence.

The unrest comes less than a year before France’s 2027 presidential election, when voters will choose Emmanuel Macron’s successor.