Thousands took part in demonstrations across France on Saturday as student protests over school conditions broadened into a wider mobilisation against the cost of living. Teachers, trade unions, university students and activists linked to the Yellow Vest movement joined rallies in Paris and other cities.
The Interior Ministry said it had recorded 140 protest actions and 32,800 participants by midday, with 166 arrests nationwide at that point. Those were provisional figures, and the demonstrations were still under way.
The student movement began in mid-September, with participants citing deteriorating school buildings, crowded classrooms, teacher shortages and unequal access to education. The protests have since overlapped with broader complaints about rising prices, pressure on public services and household purchasing power.
Some Yellow Vest activists, whose movement became prominent during France’s 2018 cost-of-living protests, had urged supporters to join the student-led actions. In Paris, police used tear gas as clashes broke out with some demonstrators. Reports from other cities described confrontations and property damage, while many people also attended peaceful marches.
The government has faced criticism over its handling of the earlier school protests and the use of force against young demonstrators. It has suspended plans to raise some higher-education registration fees and promised additional substitute teachers, but critics say those steps do not address deeper problems in the education system.
Saturday’s turnout brought several grievances together, though the groups involved do not share a single platform. The scale and duration of the mobilisation remain uncertain as France’s government prepares a budget debate focused on public spending and debt.
