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Liberte, Egalite, Uh-Oh
19 October 2026 at 07:41
France rocked by nationwide protests over cost of living.
Over 2400 people arrested. Wikipedia: Since 18 September 2026, a series of demonstrations and blockades by lycée students has been taking place in France and later, to a lesser degree, in Belgium,[5][6] Albania, Greece,[7] and Italy,[8][9] having originated in Créteil, a commune in the suburbs of Paris.[10] On 6 October, the protests developed into a nationwide mobilisation involving students, teachers, parents, and trade unions. According to The Conversation, unions estimated that 450,000 people participated nationwide while the French government put the figure at 250,000.[11] The movement is marked by blockades of high schools, gatherings, and demonstrations. As reasons for participating in the protests, students have cited teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, exhausting timetables, run-down buildings, and stress linked to the university application website Parcoursup[12][13] as well as high temperatures in classrooms that reached up to 40 °C (104 °F) during the 2026 European heatwaves.[14] By October, parts of the movement were engaged in violence against police and some management staff, especially headteachers. The French Interior Ministry reported that 1,949 people were arrested on 1 October.[15][16] The French government has accused the far-left of stirring up the unrest for political gain.[17][18] Protesting groups and parties, meanwhile, contended that the movement was spontaneous and accused the government and right-wing parties of engaging in conspiratorial thinking. The police response, which led to more than 6,800 people being taken into custody, most of them minors, drew criticism from human rights organisations: Amnesty International denounced a "disproportionate" use of force,[19] Human Rights Watch reported serious injuries to children,[20] and the UN Human Rights Office expressed concern and called for de-escalation.[21] The government rejected accusations of police repression, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez maintaining that the response had been proportionate in almost all cases and that some protests had turned into riots.[22]
Over 2400 people arrested. Wikipedia: Since 18 September 2026, a series of demonstrations and blockades by lycée students has been taking place in France and later, to a lesser degree, in Belgium,[5][6] Albania, Greece,[7] and Italy,[8][9] having originated in Créteil, a commune in the suburbs of Paris.[10] On 6 October, the protests developed into a nationwide mobilisation involving students, teachers, parents, and trade unions. According to The Conversation, unions estimated that 450,000 people participated nationwide while the French government put the figure at 250,000.[11] The movement is marked by blockades of high schools, gatherings, and demonstrations. As reasons for participating in the protests, students have cited teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, exhausting timetables, run-down buildings, and stress linked to the university application website Parcoursup[12][13] as well as high temperatures in classrooms that reached up to 40 °C (104 °F) during the 2026 European heatwaves.[14] By October, parts of the movement were engaged in violence against police and some management staff, especially headteachers. The French Interior Ministry reported that 1,949 people were arrested on 1 October.[15][16] The French government has accused the far-left of stirring up the unrest for political gain.[17][18] Protesting groups and parties, meanwhile, contended that the movement was spontaneous and accused the government and right-wing parties of engaging in conspiratorial thinking. The police response, which led to more than 6,800 people being taken into custody, most of them minors, drew criticism from human rights organisations: Amnesty International denounced a "disproportionate" use of force,[19] Human Rights Watch reported serious injuries to children,[20] and the UN Human Rights Office expressed concern and called for de-escalation.[21] The government rejected accusations of police repression, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez maintaining that the response had been proportionate in almost all cases and that some protests had turned into riots.[22]
