Hundreds held, dozens wounded as French school protests escalate

French security forces on Wednesday detained over 600 people while dozens of police and gendarmes were wounded as protests that have seen blockades of high schools

France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during a ceremony in honour of the King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain (not seen) at the French Embassy’s residence in Madrid on September 30, 2026. [AFP].

The movement in the lycees, attended by students aged 15 to 18 for their final three years of secondary education in France, has angered the government.

Since last week, students have staged protests outside schools over grievances ranging from timetables, class sizes and a shortage of teachers to overheated classrooms during this year's heatwaves.

The protests started in the Ile-de-France region around Paris but have now spread to other cities nationwide.

On Wednesday, 625 people were detained during high school blockades, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, noting an "expansion of the movement" and condemning an "escalation of violence" outside certain schools.

Source: Standard