Dozens injured in French student protests over school resources
Student protests in France over school resources and exam stress have resulted in dozens of injuries and hundreds of detentions. The unrest comes as the government prepares to announce a 2027 budget that includes significant spending cuts.
Why it matters
The protests reflect growing social tension in France regarding public service funding and government austerity measures.
Dozens of people have been injured so far in a wave of student demonstrations, France’s Education Minister Edouard Geffray said on Wednesday (September 30, 2026), as students continued to protest against dilapidated schools, insufficient resources and stressful exams.
Television images showed lines of police officers in Lyon and students standing outside their schools in Lille as well as Saint-Denis north of Paris. People set garbage cans and other materials on fire in Lille and Lyon and, in Lille, some people were throwing projectiles.
“Since the beginning of these demonstrations, we have had 76 injuries, both among students and personnel,” Mr. Geffray told RTL radio.
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