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Students and teachers march in France on biggest day of high school protests
On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, students, teachers, and parents marched across France as protesters blockaded hundreds of schools, demanding the government address understaffed and dilapidated classrooms.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu ordered his ministers to tackle student demands, including replacing absent teachers and repairing aging school buildings, with proposals due by the end of October.
"When the answer is violence, it means democracy is no longer working," said Hugo Vetzel, a high school leaver in Strasbourg, as clashes left at least 715 police and 215 teenagers injured.
France's Justice Ministry reported 5,060 arrests since protests began, with 87% of those detained minors, as the government and National Rally accused France Unbowed lawmakers of stoking unrest.
Investor anxiety regarding France's ballooning budget deficit pushed 10-year bond yields to a 24-year high of over 5% last week, intensifying pressure on a government managing the crisis.