Students in northeastern France fortified a high school with barricades made from garbage bins on Thursday, prompting riot police to deploy tear gas as nationwide protests over education funding continued with little indication of abating. The Hélène Boucher high school emerged as a key flashpoint in Paris, joining hundreds of other schools across the country that experienced disruptions during the fourth round of student-led demonstrations.
Many demonstrators, including minors, wore surgical masks or hoodies to obscure their identities as they confronted authorities. In response, riot police positioned themselves in adjacent streets while dozens of additional rallies were organized throughout France, including a major march at Place de la Bastille where water cannons and tear gas were again utilized against crowds.
According to the interior ministry, more than 6,600 arrests have been made since late September when the current wave of protests began. The education ministry reported that 375 schools were fully or partially closed on Thursday, a slight decrease from the closures seen earlier in the week but still indicative of the movement’s widespread impact.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu addressed the escalating unrest during a televised speech, condemning the violence inflicted upon students, staff, and law enforcement officers. He criticized political figures who he claimed were exploiting the situation for electoral gain ahead of the presidential election scheduled for April.
“We cannot play with the safety of France’s youth,” Lecornu stated, while also lamenting incidents of arson, vandalism, and threats directed at educational institutions.
Emma Khelil, an 18-year-old university student and former pupil of Hélène Boucher, expressed concern about police aggression while highlighting the deteriorating conditions that sparked the initial protests. She described issues ranging from insulation failures and water leaks to rodent infestations within school buildings. Khelil dismissed government attempts to calm the situation, predicting that the movement would strengthen, particularly as it potentially converges with other social struggles leading up to the upcoming election.
At Place de la République, hundreds of high school and university students gathered to prepare for a march toward Bastille. Protesters carried signs demanding increased education funding and questioning police motives, with some reading “More money for repression than for our education.” Sofia Ferdials, an 18-year-old at Paris 8 University, declared the demonstrators’ determination: “We’re here, we’re demonstrating, and we won’t stop. Until October, November, December if necessary. Nothing will stop us.”
Dounia Gergeon, a 39-year-old school librarian, joined the Bastille demonstration, citing shared concerns about the broader crisis facing young people. She noted that students often feel unsupported and forced to learn under inadequate conditions.
The unrest has extended beyond France’s borders. In Belgium, Liege Mayor Willy Demeyer imposed a ban on public gatherings until October 16 due to fears of further violence. Belgian authorities reported nearly 90 arrests and several injured officers after using water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin vowed that those responsible would face legal consequences.
Smaller-scale student protests have also emerged in Italy, with activists explicitly referencing the French movement. Demonstrators in Turin, Rome, and Naples have occupied schools and marched, combining demands for better education funding with opposition to military spending and migrant detention policies.
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