Hundreds of Thousands Protest for Better Education Across France

Unions and opposition parties called for the demonstrations (Die Welt). Organizers said 450,000 people marched across the country, including 100,000 in Paris (Die Welt). The Interior Ministry gave lower figures of 256,000 protesters nationwide and 56,000 in the capital (Die Welt).

At many high schools and universities, students blocked entrances or forced closures (Die Welt). The USL union reported 1,800 high schools blocked and 90% of universities affected (Die Welt). The Education Ministry said instruction was halted at 891 high schools either fully or partially (Die Welt).

Protest marches took place in Paris and other large cities (Die Welt). In Lyon demonstrators threw fireworks and set up barricades (Die Welt). In Rennes police used water cannons (Die Welt). Paris police described about 300 'hostile‑minded' individuals who tried to attack officers (Die Welt).

Police responded with tear gas, water cannons, grenades and rubber bullets (Die Welt). Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the use of such force was proportionate and denied allegations of police repression (Die Welt). Police oversight has opened investigations into ten incidents where youths were seriously injured (Die Welt). In one incident a 15‑year‑old lost a hand from a police grenade explosion (Die Welt, Fox News). According to authorities, more than 1,000 people have been injured and around 6,000 arrested since the protests began in mid‑September, with many of the detainees being minors (Die Welt, Fox News). Additionally, a youth reportedly lost an eye from a rubber bullet and another suffered dental damage from a tear‑gas canister (Die Welt). A police officer in Metz was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old during detention, a video showing him holding the girl and touching her breast (Die Welt). Parents supported the students by forming human chains or sitting between security forces and demonstrators in Rennes (Die Welt).