French Students Resume School Blockades Ahead of Nationwide Strike Over Living Costs

The movement began with students protesting deteriorating learning conditions and inequality, then widened into demonstrations against soaring prices, according to World News CNA. Infobae traced the student protests to September at the Saint Exupéry high school in Créteil.

Education remains central even as the demands have broadened. Euronews reported that the school protests helped fuel a nationwide movement against rising prices and inadequate public services, drawing hundreds of thousands onto the streets over three successive weekends.

During the week of October 26, the government announced education concessions, according to Le Monde. The measures included changes to university admissions, more teachers and limits on class sizes, Euronews reported.

On October 31, the third consecutive Saturday of nationwide demonstrations, the interior ministry estimated that around 320,000 people took part. Organisers put attendance at nearly half a million, according to AFP, which described the protests as largely peaceful, with tensions flaring at the end of marches.

Clashes nevertheless broke out in Paris and other cities, The Local reported. Sankei News reported that some protesters threw stones and petrol bombs, and that the interior ministry announced 561 detentions nationwide. RT en Español subsequently reported 565 detentions, citing ministry and police prefecture figures, while DIE ZEIT put arrests at around 780. The supplied reports do not resolve that difference.

On November 1, Franceinfo reported that 20 businesses had been damaged, fewer than during previous protest weekends. Student organisations were meanwhile calling for renewed blockades when schools reopened, despite the government's commitments, according to Le Monde.

On November 2, pupils returned after a two-week break and protests resumed on a much smaller scale than in previous weeks. South China Morning Post reported attempts to blockade a few high schools in Paris, Marseille and Rennes. The Saint Exupéry school in Créteil was again blocked, according to Infobae.

By Tuesday, November 3, students were blockading dozens of high schools across France to maintain pressure over education reforms, France24 reported. The smaller return-to-school mobilisation has not ended the campaign.

The government is stressing access to lessons. Education minister Edouard Geffray said the absolute priority was that pupils could attend classes, according to Le Monde. Student leaders have vowed to continue protesting despite the concessions, The Independent reported.

The next major scheduled mobilisation is the nationwide strike and demonstrations called by trade unions for Thursday, November 5. Another Saturday of protests is also planned, according to Franceinfo.

Those events will show whether the broader movement can sustain its turnout after the smaller school protests at the start of the week. France24 reported that unions were preparing for the strike as students continued their blockades.