French riot police fire tear gas as more than 250,000 rally for school funding

French riot police deployed tear gas, batons, water cannons, and stun grenades in Paris and other cities on Tuesday, Hexham Courant reports, as more than a quarter of a million people rallied nationwide to support students demanding urgent funding and better conditions for understaffed, dilapidated schools. The protests mark a critical escalation in a movement that began two weeks ago in the deprived suburbs of the French capital before rippling across the country.

The demonstrations have disrupted hundreds of educational establishments. According to the education ministry, teaching was suspended either totally or partially at nearly 900 schools out of roughly 3,700 nationwide, with the High School Students Union claiming 1,800 schools were blockaded or closed for the day. Students have voiced anger over missing teachers, overloaded timetables, lengthy school days running from 8am to 6pm, and sweltering, run-down classrooms lacking basic amenities. Some schools have suffered extensive damage, with officials reporting that 24 institutions have been burned or ransacked since the unrest began.

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The state response has drawn fierce criticism from human rights groups, teachers, and parents over heavy-handed police tactics. According to LBC, a 15-year-old boy lost his hand and part of his lower arm after handling a police dispersal grenade in northern France. Additional injuries mounted as police used batons, tear gas, and flash-ball guns against demonstrators, the majority of whom are minors. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez defended the police response on BFMTV, maintaining that law enforcement actions were proportionate in almost all cases and that protests had frequently degenerated into urban violence.

Political fallout has intensified as the movement intersects with wider national frustrations. The unrest places heavy pressure on the administration of outgoing President Emmanuel Macron as the country approaches a presidential election campaign. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu denounced ultra-violence targeting schools and told parliament that burning down educational facilities would not fix their infrastructure. At the same time, Lecornu ordered his ministers to draft proposals addressing student grievances by the end of October, covering teacher replacements, classroom repairs, and the length of the school day.

Law enforcement authorities report that 6,100 people have been arrested since the movement began, with the overwhelming majority being minors. Over 1,800 individuals face criminal prosecution, including 1,483 minors, according to the justice ministry. Meanwhile, broader economic strains—including a soaring budget deficit and rising bond yields—continue to exacerbate public discontent, echoing previous periods of intense civil unrest seen during earlier pension and fuel tax disputes.

Demonstrations and school blockades are expected to continue in the coming days as student leaders vow to maintain pressure on the government until structural changes are guaranteed. Ministers face a strict deadline to deliver concrete remediation proposals by the end of October, while trade unions plan further industrial action that threatens to disrupt upcoming academic assessments.