France student protests tracker. A nationwide movement of high school and university students over staffing, school buildings, timetables and university admissions, now in its fourth week. Figures below are from French ministries and from organisers, shown side by side.
As of Oct. 13, 2026, 11 a.m. ET. Act V figures are preliminary.
Latest coverage
Oct 13, 2026France Student Protests Act V: Marches Resume as Thunberg Joins Saint-Denis Pupils
Oct 7, 2026France High School Protests: Lecornu Suspends ClassesMore international reporting is in our World News section and on the World Affairs hub.
Protest-day tracker
Each row is a reported day of action, newest first. Turnout is shown as counted by the Interior Ministry and as claimed by organisers or unions; the two often differ widely. Arrest figures are for that day as announced by the Interior Ministry or government. Dates link to the source used.
| Date | Day | Where | Turnout: Interior Ministry | Turnout: organisers / unions | Scale | Arrests (day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | Act V | Paris (Place d'Italie), Saint-Denis, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Strasbourg, Rennes | 30,000 at 360 school actions outside Paris region by midday; final count pending | Union étudiante: 90% of universities blocked or closed | 214 high schools closed (Education Ministry); 35% of higher-ed sites disrupted (Higher Ed Ministry) | Pending |
| Oct 8, 2026 | Act IV | Paris (Bastille), Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Lyon | 71,500 (24,500 Paris) | 130,000+ (CGT) | 55,000 at school actions (Interior Ministry) | 504 |
| Oct 6, 2026 | Act III (largest day) | Paris (République to Nation), Rennes, Lyon, Strasbourg, Nantes, Nancy | 256,000 (56,000 Paris) | 450,000 (100,000 Paris) | About 800 high schools closed | 488 |
| Oct 5, 2026 | Week two opens | Nationwide; Lens, Dunkirk, Rennes 2 | — | — | 589 schools disrupted (Education Ministry) | 984 |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Act II | Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Nantes, Lille, Rennes, Brest, Bordeaux, Toulouse | — | — | 900+ actions, about 400 closures | 1,949 (government tally) |
| Sep 30, 2026 | Blockades continue | Nationwide | — | — | 356 schools affected (Interior Minister) | 625 |
| Sep 29, 2026 | Civil-service strike day | Nationwide | — | — | 338 schools affected, 45 blocked (Education Ministry) | 440 |
| Sep 28, 2026 | National spread | Paris region, Marseille, Lille, Rhône, Var | — | — | 180 schools disrupted, 27 fully blocked (Interior Ministry) | 164 |
| Sep 18, 2026 | First blockade | Créteil (Lycée Saint-Exupéry) | — | — | Students blockade school a day after teachers' strike over unfilled posts | — |
What’s driving the protests
The movement began on Sept. 17, 2026, when teachers at Lycée Saint-Exupéry in Créteil struck over unfilled posts, and students blockaded the school the next day. It spread through the Paris suburbs and, from Sept. 28, nationwide. The Associated Press reports that students cite dilapidated buildings, missing teachers, school days that often run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and a university entrance system they call unfair. Teachers’ unions including the SNES-FSU, CGT, FO, SUD and UNSA have joined several days of action.
The main high school union, the Union syndicale lycéenne, calls for the Parcoursup admissions platform to be scrapped and for a 10 billion euro plan for high schools, according to 20 Minutes. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said in an Oct. 7 address that police “have no instruction to confront high school students” (“n’ont pas pour instruction d’affronter les lycéens”), according to franceinfo. The government has said the movement has in places been taken over by outsiders and turned into urban violence, while rights groups, students and parent groups have accused authorities of using disproportionate force against minors, according to Reuters.
The government’s response so far includes 3,000 replacement teachers for more than 500 struggling schools, an online consultation open until Oct. 23 and first government decisions “at the end of October,” Lecornu said on Oct. 7 (franceinfo). Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez suspended stun grenades for the student protests on Oct. 7 after a 15-year-old lost a hand in Lens (TF1 Info). A Senate debate on a “casseurs-payeurs” property-damage bill is scheduled from Oct. 27.
Where protests have been reported
Blockades, marches or occupations have been reported by French media in these cities, among others. Smaller towns have also been affected, and related school protests have been reported in Liège, Belgium, and in Italy.
- Paris
- Créteil
- Saint-Denis
- Marseille
- Lyon
- Nantes
- Rennes
- Strasbourg
- Lille
- Bordeaux
- Toulouse
- Montpellier
- Nancy
- Metz
- Belfort
- Perpignan
- Lens
- Brest
- Aix-en-Provence
- Épinal
- Dunkirk
- Tours
- Poitiers
- Nîmes
Photobook
Photos from Wikimedia Commons contributors, used under the licence shown with each image. Click or tap any photo to open the viewer; use the arrows or swipe to move through the set.
Video reports
Embedded from the official YouTube channels of France 24, the Associated Press and Reuters. The videos are hosted by YouTube, not The Boston Report.
FAQ
Why are students protesting in France?
High school and university students say schools are understaffed and run-down. Their demands include replacing absent teachers, repairing buildings, lighter timetables, scrapping the Parcoursup university admissions platform and, from the main high school union, a 10 billion euro plan for high schools.
When did the French student protests start?
Teachers struck at Lycée Saint-Exupéry in Créteil on Sept. 17, 2026, and students blockaded the school the next day. Blockades spread across the Paris region and became nationwide from Sept. 28.
How many people have joined the protests?
The largest day so far was Oct. 6, when the Interior Ministry counted 256,000 marchers and organisers claimed 450,000. On Oct. 8 the ministry counted 71,500 and the CGT union said more than 130,000.
How many people have been arrested?
The Justice Ministry said 6,877 people had been taken into police custody as of Oct. 8, about 86% of them minors, and 2,376 were being prosecuted.
What has the French government offered?
Education Minister Édouard Geffray announced 3,000 replacement teachers for more than 500 struggling schools and an online consultation open until Oct. 23. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said first decisions on high schools would come at the end of October.
Sources
- France 24: Interior ministry estimates 250,000 join student protests; organisers claim 450,000
- France 24 / Reuters: Severe injuries at French student protests draw scrutiny to police tactics
- Associated Press: What to know about France’s high school student protests
- The Guardian: Schools blockaded as tens of thousands take to streets in France
- Anadolu Agency: Thousands join fresh student protests across France (Oct. 13)
- 20 Minutes: Act V live coverage (Oct. 13)
- TF1 Info: Act IV summary (Oct. 8)
- franceinfo: 440 arrests on Sept. 29
- 20 Minutes: Arrests, Act II and the consultation platform (Oct. 1)
- franceinfo: What to remember from Sébastien Lecornu’s address (Oct. 7, 2026)
- TF1 Info: Nuñez suspends stun grenades for the high school movement (Oct. 7, 2026)
- franceinfo: Stun grenades suspended at student protests pending Lens inquiry (Oct. 7, 2026)
- Wikipedia (French): Mouvement lycéen et étudiant de 2026 en France (timeline background)
- Wikimedia Commons (photo credits linked under each image)