France Student Protests: 6,800 Arrested as Thunberg Joins

French authorities have detained more than 6,800 people since September as student-led demonstrations over deteriorating school conditions and teacher shortages escalated into one of the country’s most severe domestic crises ahead of next year’s presidential election.

The unrest forced 214 schools to close Tuesday alone, according to the Education Ministry. Interior Ministry figures placed the day’s nationwide turnout at roughly 161,500 demonstrators, with 41,500 marching through Paris. Students are demanding increased hiring of substitute teachers, improved building maintenance, and shorter instructional days that currently stretch from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in many districts—a schedule significantly longer than those typical in neighboring European nations.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu directed ministers to address the grievances, but the government’s response has been dominated by security operations rather than immediate structural reforms. Riot police deployed across multiple cities confronted demonstrators who erected barricades and set fires, though numerous marches remained peaceful.

Tensions spiked after a 15-year-old boy in Lens lost his hand and part of his lower arm last week when he picked up a police dispersal grenade that detonated during a demonstration. French authorities subsequently suspended the use of that specific type of stun grenade. The incident intensified scrutiny on crowd-control tactics historically debated in France, particularly following the Yellow Vest movement of 2018 and 2019, which also drew criticism over law enforcement injuries.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg appeared outside a high school in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on Oct. 13 to support the students. Thunberg, whose global prominence began with youth school strikes for climate action in 2018, told reporters she was inspired by young people demanding basic rights and characterized the police response as “extremely violent.”

The demonstrations have fractured the French political landscape seven months before voters head to the polls in May. Far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon marched alongside protesters in Paris on Tuesday, accusing the government of excessive force against minors. Conversely, National Rally leader Marine Le Pen condemned property destruction and demanded that individuals responsible for damaging educational facilities pay for repairs.

U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on Oct. 6 via Truth Social, dismissing the education complaints and attributing the turmoil to mass migration. “What’s happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration. This isn’t about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!” Trump wrote, injecting American political rhetoric into a dispute rooted in France’s domestic funding formulas and decentralized school administration.

President Emmanuel Macron called for restraint and dialogue as the fourth week of mobilization continued.

French police maintain the suspension of the disputed stun grenades used in Lens while investigations into the teenager’s injury proceed.