The protest started in late September when a Paris suburb high school’s teachers walked out over chronic shortages, a spark that has now spread to cities from Lille to Marseille.
Police reports say that 24 schools were torched, 78 staff injured, and over 5,000 youths have been detained across the country.
The turmoil has rattled Wall Street, sending France’s 10‑year bond yield past 5%—the highest since 2002—as investors fear the 2027 budget will be harder to pass.
Maud Bregeon, speaking on CNews, said the government’s top priority is restoring order but acknowledged that the movement is far from quelled.
Teachers like 24‑year‑old Amine from Lille say they feel unsafe, while parents fear their children will miss crucial exams; security forces warn that a Tuesday march in Paris could spiral if far‑left groups seize the crowd.