What is fueling French school protests?

Teenagers have been protesting outside schools across France, with the movement spreading from a lycée in Créteil and drawing a heavy police response in recent days. Students cite teacher absences, poor classroom conditions, overloaded timetables and social inequality, while the government blames hard-left influence and some police conduct has been criticized. More than 5,000 people have been arrested since Monday, and another protest day is planned for Tuesday.

More than 5,000 people have been arrested since Monday, according to the interior ministry.

About 735 educational establishments were affected on Friday, the education minister said.

The protests began on Sept. 17 at the Saint-Exupery high school in Créteil in support of teachers striking over a lack of staff and resources.

The government has accused France Unbowed, or LFI, of being behind the movement, while Manuel Bompard rejected that claim.

After clashes in Tours on Wednesday, one young man lost the use of his right eye, according to the citys prosecutor.

Published Oct 4, 2026 2:01 pm KST

Updated Oct 4, 2026 2:31 pm KST

French high school students block the access to the Lycee Paul Eluard high school as they protest to demand the hiring of substitute teachers, increased resources and better learning conditions, in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, Wednesday. Reuters-Yonhap

PARIS, France — Protests by teenagers outside their schools have shaken France in recent days, with students blockading entrances to their institutions and security forces on occasion responding with tear gas.

The government has said that while the grievances may be legitimate, violence is not and has accused the hard-left of whipping up the movement.

Critics have meanwhile accused some police of heavy-handed force against protesters, who are legally still children.

More than 5,000 people have been arrested since Monday, according to the interior ministry, while about 735 educational establishments were affected on Friday, the education minister said.

While the weekend may see a lull, a major new day of protest is planned for Tuesday.

AFP looks at the origins of the movement.

The protests affect lycees, the schools where French teens have their last years of school aged from 15-18, the equivalent of high school in the United States and sixth form in the United Kingdom.

The students' grievances are numerous, but chief among them are teacher absences, conditions in classrooms, overloaded school timetables and a school day that can be as long as 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., which some say is excessive.

"High-school students — particularly those from low-income neighbourhoods — feel they are receiving an inferior education," said French sociologist Valerie Becquet.

Origin of the movement

The movement began two weeks ago on Sept. 17 at the Saint-Exupery high school in the Paris suburb of Creteil, in support of teachers striking over a lack of staff and resources.

It gained momentum, gradually spreading across the country over the last week.

Ironically, as tensions raged elsewhere in France, the situation at the Saint-Exupery high school returned to normal after educational authorities agreed to send additional staff, including a deputy principal and a nurse.

"Our grades were slipping. If we had not rallied now it would have augured very badly for the future," said pupil Abderrahmane, who expressed "enormous" pride at taking part in the inception of the movement.

Role of social media

The protests are being further fueled by the spread of dramatic images and videos on online platforms, notably TikTok.

Students themselves hold up their phones to record scenes such as burning trash cans or police deploying tear gas. Numerous channels, seeking to boost their reach, spread this footage and edit together the most dramatic moments.

"With social media, they can offer a narrative different from the one presented in traditional media — a narrative that is not manufactured," said sociologist Becquet.

France offers all students access to the lycee but in reality there is a vast spectrum, ranging from vocational schools to elite institutions.

Despite numerous diversity initiatives, the latter remain dominated by students from white, affluent families with university-educated parents.

"There are glaring inequalities among different students and schools, and this is a real problem," said Becquet.

Political exploitation

The protests have become a major issue of political tension just over half a year ahead of presidential elections with the government accusing the hard left France Unbowed (LFI) of being behind the movement.

Senior LFI official Manuel Bompard has rejected the government's accusations, saying it was "descending into conspiracy theories."

Veteran LFI presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon — who is currently polling at over 40 percent among 18-25-year-old voters — has strongly supported the protests, while calling for nonviolent methods.

Protesters have blockaded schools, set fire to bins and other objects and hurled projectiles at police.

But police have also moved to disperse some of the protesters, notably firing tear gas canisters, using rubber bullets and sometimes beating them with batons.

After students clashed with police Wednesday in Tours in central France, one young man wounded lost the use of his right eye, the city's prosecutor said.

Numerous videos have gone viral showing alleged brutal conduct by security forces — such as a police officer placing his arm around the neck of a girl during her arrest.

But police have also been targets, notably an officer who was chased and beaten and kicked by a group of youths from a school in the eastern city of Belfort.

法国各地青少年在学校外举行抗议活动，这场运动起源于克雷泰伊的一所高中，并于近日引发警方的强力镇压。学生们列举了教师缺勤、教室条件恶劣、课时过多以及社会不平等等问题，而政府则将矛头指向极左势力的影响，部分警方行为也受到批评。自周一以来，已有超过5000人被捕，周二还将举行另一场抗议活动。

据内政部消息，自周一以来，已有超过5000人被捕。

教育部长表示，周五约有735所教育机构受到影响。

抗议活动于 9 月 17 日在克雷泰伊的圣埃克苏佩里高中开始，以声援因人员和资源短缺而罢工的教师。

政府指责法国不屈运动（LFI）是这场运动的幕后推手，而曼努埃尔·邦帕尔否认了这一说法。

据图尔市检察官称，周三图尔市发生冲突后，一名年轻男子右眼失明。

发布于2026年10月4日下午2:01（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月4日下午2:31（韩国标准时间）

周三，在法国巴黎附近的圣丹尼，一群高中生封锁了保罗·艾吕亚尔中学（Lycee Paul Eluard）的入口，抗议学校增聘代课教师、增加教学资源并改善学习条件。路透社-韩联社

法国巴黎——近日，青少年在学校外举行抗议活动，震动了法国。学生们封锁了学校入口，安全部队有时使用催泪瓦斯进行镇压。

政府表示，虽然民众的不满可能是合理的，但暴力行为是不合理的，并指责极左势力煽动了这场运动。

与此同时，批评人士指责一些警察对示威者使用过度武力，而这些示威者在法律上仍然是未成年人。

据内政部称，自周一以来已有超过5000人被捕；教育部长表示，周五约有735所教育机构受到影响。

虽然周末可能会有所平静，但周二计划举行新一轮大规模抗议活动。

法新社探究了这场运动的起源。

抗议活动影响了法国高中（lycees），这是法国青少年（15-18 岁）完成最后几年学业的学校，相当于美国的高中和英国的六年级。

学生们的不满有很多，但其中最主要的是教师缺勤、教室条件差、学校课程安排过满以及每天上课时间长达早上 8 点到下午 6 点，有些人认为这太长了。

“高中生——尤其是来自低收入社区的高中生——感觉自己接受的教育质量低下，”法国社会学家瓦莱丽·贝克特说。

该运动的起源

这场运动始于两周前的 9 月 17 日，地点是巴黎郊区克雷泰伊的圣埃克苏佩里高中，旨在声援因人员和资源短缺而罢工的教师。

过去一周，疫情逐渐蔓延至全国各地。

具有讽刺意味的是，当法国其他地方局势紧张时，圣埃克苏佩里高中的情况却在教育部门同意派遣包括副校长和护士在内的额外工作人员后恢复了正常。

“我们的成绩一直在下滑。如果我们当时不团结起来，那对未来来说将是极其糟糕的预兆，”学生阿卜杜勒拉赫曼说道，他对参与发起这场运动感到“无比自豪”。

社交媒体的作用

抗议活动因网络平台（尤其是 TikTok）上耸人听闻的图片和视频的传播而进一步加剧。

学生们纷纷举起手机拍摄垃圾桶燃烧或警察使用催泪瓦斯等场景。许多频道为了扩大影响力，传播这些视频，并剪辑出最震撼的片段。

社会学家贝克特说：“借助社交媒体，他们可以提供一种与传统媒体呈现的叙事不同的叙事——一种并非人为制造的叙事。”

法国为所有学生提供进入高中学习的机会，但实际上高中种类繁多，从职业学校到精英院校应有尽有。

尽管出台了许多多元化举措，但后者仍然以来自白人、富裕家庭且父母受过大学教育的学生为主。

贝克特说：“不同学生和学校之间存在着明显的差异，这是一个真正的问题。”

政治剥削

距离总统选举还有半年多一点的时间，抗议活动已成为政治紧张局势的一个主要问题，政府指责极左翼的“法国不屈党”（LFI）是这场运动的幕后推手。

利比亚民族解放军高级官员曼努埃尔·邦帕德驳斥了政府的指控，称其“滑向了阴谋论”。

资深的法国人民解放阵线总统候选人让-吕克·梅朗雄（目前在 18 至 25 岁选民中的支持率超过 40%）强烈支持抗议活动，同时呼吁采取非暴力方式。

抗议者封锁了学校，纵火焚烧垃圾桶和其他物品，并向警察投掷物品。

但警方也采取了行动驱散部分抗议者，特别是发射催泪瓦斯罐、使用橡皮子弹，有时还用警棍殴打他们。

周三，法国中部城市图尔发生学生与警方冲突事件，一名受伤的年轻人右眼失明，该市检察官表示。

大量视频在网上疯传，显示安全部队涉嫌存在暴力行为，例如一名警察在逮捕一名女孩时用手臂勒住她的脖子。

但警察也成为了攻击目标，其中一名警官在东部城市贝尔福特遭到一群来自一所学校的青少年追赶、殴打和踢踹。