2026 Student Protests, Paris, France
In late September 2026, students in the Paris suburbs, or banlieues, began blocking their schools to protest building conditions and a lack of teachers and educational resources. Within a few days, the movement spread to the capital and the rest of the country, with hundreds of thousands of high school and university students demanding more funding for education. The demands and support for the students expanded to encompass a greater nationwide discontent with the cost of living and public services in France. The movement grew as more unions and citizens joined in, including the infamous Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests), who first appeared in 2017-2018 to also protest the cost of living in France. The protests have mostly been peaceful, but there have been some violent riots. Police have forcibly responded to the protests with tear gas, water cannons, and stun grenades despite activists denouncing some of the violent tactics of law enforcement.
