French riot police fire tear gas as more than 2,50,000 rally nationwide for school funding
Over 250,000 people rallied across France to demand increased funding for high schools, leading to clashes with police and hundreds of arrests. The protests, which have grown from a local movement into a nationwide challenge for President Emmanuel Macron's administration, have drawn criticism over the government's use of force against students.
Why it matters
The unrest highlights growing social tension in France and poses a significant political challenge to the Macron administration's education and domestic policies.
Police fired tear gas to control crowds in Paris and elsewhere in France on Tuesday (October 6, 2026) as more than a quarter of a million people rallied nationwide to support high school students demanding more education funding, according to government figures.
The protests increased pressure on the administration of outgoing President Emmanuel Macron.
As pupils blockaded high schools, large crowds waving flags and placards gathered in Marseille, Strasbourg and other cities. The demonstrations showed how protests that began at a high school in the Paris region in mid-September have grown into a nationwide movement — the latest of many that have marked Macron's nearly decade-long tenure.
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14 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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