Hundreds of French schools closed amid violent student protests
22:56, 04/10/2026, SundayU: Update: 23:02, 04/10/2026, Sunday
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Students clash with security forces as nationwide high-school mobilization continues over school conditions and demands for greater education resources in Nancy, France on October 2, 2026. Law enforcement officers used tear gas to disperse student crowds protesting across multiple school locations as part of nationwide mobilizations over education resources and school conditions. Police deploy security units around several locations as demonstrations and blockades continue.France's education minister announced Monday that up to 500 high schools will fully or partially suspend classes due to unfulfilled security conditions, as violent demonstrations demanding better learning conditions have left dozens of schools damaged and scores of staff injured.
France's education minister announced Monday that approximately 500 high schools across the country will suspend classes due to persistent security threats from violent student demonstrations, which have left dozens of schools damaged and scores of staff injured since the protests began demanding improved learning conditions.
School closures and security concerns
Edouard Geffray stated that between 400 and 500 institutions would see classes "fully or partially suspended" because necessary security conditions had not been met, according to France 24. The official indicated that 24 facilities had been "burned or ransacked" since the movement started over demands for better educational standards.
"There are activists – particularly from the far-left – who have infiltrated the high school student movement, hijacked it from the students themselves, and engaged in extreme violence," Geffray said. He noted that 78 education personnel had sustained injuries during the disturbances, adding that "something we have never seen before" had occurred regarding attacks on staff.
Arrests and renewed mobilization
According to official figures, authorities have detained more than 5,000 individuals since the unrest began, with 85% of those arrested being minors. Several organizations representing student interests alongside left-wing and far-left political groups have called for a second day of demonstrations on October 6 to protest what they described as police "repression."