France is witnessing a wave of student protests that led to the disruption of classes in 564 schools on Friday, amid fires and clashes with the police. Students are protesting against poor conditions in secondary schools, at a time when the authorities announced that dozens of students and employees were infected and about two thousand people were detained, “90 percent of whom are minors.” The protests turned into a political issue after accusations were exchanged between the government and the leftist "Proud France" party.

Published on: 02/10/2026 - 08:56 Last updated: 02/10/2026 - 16:55

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Classes were disrupted in at least 560 schools in France on Friday, as a result of protests by high school students, setting fires outside their schools, and clashes with the police. There are no signs of the student protest movement that began last week in the Paris region before quickly spreading throughout the country.

Students complain about long school hours and inadequate conditions inside schools, including high temperatures in classrooms, as well as frequent staff absences. The government says these complaints are legitimate, but rejects acts of violence.

On Friday, fire damaged the entrances to two secondary schools in Paris: Leonard de Vinci in the south of the city and Gaston Bachelard in the southeast, while fire brigades were called to put out the fires.

“Highly violent fringe groups”

The Ministry of Education said that “564 schools have witnessed or are still witnessing movements or disturbances since the beginning of today” on Friday.

Read also: High school protests in France: “We do not want to carry out a revolution and only demand improving educational conditions”

French Education Minister Edouard Jeffrey considered that "the movement of high school students has become a hostage of extremely violent fringe groups." He told BFMTV that at least 65 employees have been injured since the protests began, including 40 secondary school principals, and about 170 students have been injured, while more than 100 secondary schools have been exposed to “severe damage.”

The government holds the people responsible for the damages

The minister called on the families to "bear their responsibilities clearly and tell their children not to participate" in the protests.

In turn, Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said that he asked prosecutors to hold parents responsible for the damage caused by their children during the protests, and to oblige them to “pay the costs of repairs.”

Darmanin added to RTL radio that about two thousand people, 90 percent of whom are minors, have been placed in police custody since the start of the movement.

Political dimension

The protests also gained a political dimension, just over six months before the presidential elections, as the government accused the radical leftist France Intrepid Party, whose leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon is running for president, of being behind the movement.

But party leader Manuel Bombard accused the government of "sliding into conspiracy theories."

In an attempt to calm tensions, the Minister of Education said that he would meet on Friday with education unions and high school student associations in an effort to find common ground for dialogue.

France 24/AFP

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