French Student Protests Intensify As Macron Issues Fresh Response

French Student Protests Intensify As Macron Issues Fresh Response

French President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged students’ grievances amid three weeks of protests disrupting schools nationwide, while accusing political forces of exploiting the unrest.

Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon disclosed Macron’s position on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting, saying the president had demanded concrete responses to students’ concerns within weeks.

Her statement followed nationwide solidarity demonstrations on Tuesday, which attracted thousands of protesters in Paris and other French cities.

France’s Interior Ministry estimated that 161,500 people attended the demonstrations, while the unions organising the rallies claimed that 480,000 people participated.

Some demonstrations witnessed violent clashes, particularly in Paris and Lyon, where police fired tear gas to disperse protesters.

Bregeon said Macron recognised young people’s legitimate concerns but believed political groups were exploiting their grievances to encourage violence in urban areas.

The protests have attracted political attention ahead of France’s presidential elections scheduled for April and May 2027, with opposition parties taking different positions.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, presidential candidate of the left-wing France Unbowed party, participated in one of the demonstrations in Paris.

Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party expressed support for police officers deployed to manage the protests and blamed students for violent incidents.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu also accused allies of France Unbowed of exploiting the student movement for electoral purposes.

Allegations of police brutality have become another major concern, as students, parents, trade unions and rights groups accuse officers of using excessive force.

The family of Evan, a 15-year-old student who lost his left hand in a stun grenade explosion, announced legal action on Wednesday.

The family wants an impartial investigation into the incident, which occurred on October 5.

Bertrand Wattez, one of the family’s lawyers, said Evan disputed the police account reported by prosecutors, which alleged that he attempted to pick up the grenade.

The teenager also denied participating in student protests in Lens, according to his lawyer.

Wattez said the explosion destroyed Evan’s left hand and injured several fingers on his right hand.

Prime Minister Lecornu told parliament on Wednesday that 248 students had been injured since the protests began, with most injuries linked to urban violence.

He added that 937 police officers and 149 members of teaching staff had also sustained injuries during the unrest.

The figures highlight the widespread impact of the demonstrations, which have disrupted education and increased tensions between protesters and security personnel.

Meanwhile, the Justice Ministry reported that 7,950 people had been arrested since the protests began in late September.

According to the ministry, approximately 85 per cent of those arrested were minors, while authorities filed charges against 2,735 people.

Twenty-six people were remanded in custody, the ministry added.

Another serious incident occurred on September 30 outside a school in Tours, western France, where a 16-year-old student lost sight in one eye.

The teenager’s family blamed the police for the injury, prompting further concerns about security operations during the demonstrations.

Late Tuesday, the prosecutor in Tours announced that the officer involved had been charged with aggravated battery.

The Interior Ministry also disclosed that police had opened internal investigations into 36 allegations of violence against demonstrators.

The unrest has also exposed tensions between the government and the police, with a police union challenging the instructions given to officers.

The Alliance police union filed a lawsuit against the government, accusing political leaders of putting officers’ lives at risk through contradictory orders.

In a statement released late Wednesday, the union said officers felt betrayed by their leaders over unclear instructions and public expressions of sympathy towards violent protesters.

French authorities hope the demonstrations will ease as schools prepare for a two-week holiday beginning this weekend.

The government is also working to restore normal academic activities in schools severely affected by the unrest.

Officials said 2,000 of the 3,000 substitute teachers promised for 114 affected schools had already taken up their positions.

Education Minister Edouard Geffray told parliament that approximately one-third of France’s 3,700 high schools had been seriously affected by the protests.

Another third of the country’s high schools had experienced a more limited impact, according to the minister.

With hundreds injured, thousands arrested and allegations of police misconduct under investigation, the government faces mounting pressure to address students’ concerns.

Authorities must also restore normal school activities and prevent further violence as the demonstrations continue to challenge the government’s response.