Police Deploy Tear Gas as Tens of Thousands Join Student Protests Across France
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in French cities, prompting police to use tear gas and make arrests, while the government called for calm ahead of the largest student-led protests in years.
Protesters took to the streets in several French cities, including Rennes, Lyon, Marseille and Paris, demanding improvements to the education system such as more teachers, smaller class sizes and better-conditioned school buildings. In Paris, hundreds assembled at Place de la République before police deployed tear gas and charged the crowd. Similar tear-gas deployments were reported in Lyon, where about 300 students gathered outside Jean Moulin University, and in Marseille.
The Interior Ministry announced a crisis-unit meeting for the evening, with chiefs of staff for the Prime Minister, the Interior Minister and the Minister of Justice expected to attend. President Emmanuel Macron urged calm in a statement the night before the planned marches.
The Paris Police Prefecture defended its officers, describing the demonstrators as “hostile individuals” and stating that police “stood their ground with courage and professionalism.” The police also posted footage of masked protesters throwing projectiles and smashing bricks.
The protests, which began as a student movement, have attracted participants from a broad spectrum of groups, including members of the far-left La France Insoumise, Yellow Vest activists, farmers planning tractor demonstrations, and taxi drivers staging roadblocks around Paris airports. Organisers expect up to 100,000 participants in Paris and tens of thousands in other cities, with around 250 planned actions nationwide.
In other European capitals, student protests were reported in Brussels, Tirana and Tunis, while Italy saw simultaneous demonstrations against education policies, some of which turned violent.
Authorities have detained more than 160 people across France, with arrests linked to possession of weapons or prohibited protective gear. The Interior Minister announced a temporary suspension of a type of stun grenade following an incident in which a teenager lost a hand, though the ban was later lifted.
The scale of the mobilization reflects growing frustration over education funding, staffing shortages and perceived police aggression, according to student union leaders.