More than 1,700 detained as French high school protests spread nationwide

12:42

By: Azzat Manal

More than 1,700 detained as French high school protests spread nationwide

French authorities detained more than 1,700 people on Friday as a nationwide high school protest movement intensified, with school blockades, clashes and incidents of violence reported in several parts of the country.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said 1,747 people had been detained during Friday’s demonstrations, bringing the total number of arrests since Monday to more than 5,000. Authorities said hundreds of schools had been affected by the movement, while violence was reported around a number of institutions.

The protests began in the Paris region in September before spreading to cities across France. Students have blocked school entrances to draw attention to overcrowded classrooms, shortages of teachers and other staff, deteriorating buildings and difficult learning conditions, including excessive heat in some classrooms.

The demonstrations have also included confrontations with police and incidents involving fires, projectiles and damage to property. The government has acknowledged that some of the students’ concerns are legitimate while condemning violence and disruption affecting schools and public services. Rights groups, meanwhile, have raised concerns about the use of force against young protesters, while authorities have opened investigations into some incidents.

Education Minister Edouard Geffray said the government was preparing an action plan aimed at accelerating the replacement of teachers, particularly in the early and final years of secondary education. The government’s draft 2027 budget also proposes a 1.7% increase in education spending, although that would be below the expected rate of inflation.

The protests have taken on a broader political dimension as France approaches its 2027 presidential election. Government officials and intelligence services have accused figures linked to the left-wing France Unbowed party of helping fuel the movement, while the party has rejected the allegations and accused the government of politicising the demonstrations.

Student organisations and education unions have called for further mobilisation next Tuesday, including participation in a wider national protest and strike movement. Organisers say continued action is necessary because they have yet to see what they consider concrete measures addressing their demands.

The unrest has become one of the most significant waves of student mobilisation in France in decades, placing renewed attention on school staffing, infrastructure and public education funding as the government prepares its 2027 budget.