Protests sweep France, closing schools as student walkouts escalate

Protests sweep France, closing schools as student walkouts escalate - The Washington Post

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Protests sweep France, closing schools as student walkouts escalate

A nationwide day of protest follows more than two weeks of demonstrations and blockades over school conditions. More than 5,000 people have been detained, many of them minors.

October 6, 2026 at 9:32 a.m. EDT38 minutes ago

5 min

*High school and university students in Nantes, France, attend a demonstration as part of a nationwide day of protests and blockades. (Stephane Mahe/Reuters)*

By Ellen Francis

Student protests are sweeping France as the government struggles to curb spending to bring public finances under control months before a key presidential election.

On Tuesday, people spilled into the streets for a nationwide day of protest after over two weeks of student demonstrations that have blockaded schools across the country. Several of France’s influential unions joined Tuesday’s rallies, as crowds gathered in Paris, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and other cities.

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