On Sunday, riot police swarmed a student protest outside Sciences Po, pushing demonstrators into a railing and knocking a megaphone‑bearing protester to the ground. Officers used batons as the crowd retreated. The Interior Ministry confirmed 53 officers sustained injuries.
The incident arrives amid a wave of nationwide demonstrations that began in early August to protest rising living costs and reforms to the education system. Authorities estimate that 4,100,000 people marched in 298 protests across France. The General Confederation of Labour claims the turnout reached 8,000,000.
Students had blocked the entrance to Sciences Po after a week of strikes, demanding a halt to tuition hikes. Police said the intervention aimed to evacuate the campus and restore order, but footage shows a chaotic clash that left several students and civilians with minor injuries.
Following the incident, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that the government would review crowd‑control protocols. It will also deploy extra riot police in major cities ahead of the May 14 local elections.