Over 272 arrested as French protests over education standards and cost of living turn violent

More than 272 people were arrested across France during a day of large‑scale protests over falling education standards and the cost of living.

In Lyon, a tourism office was set on fire. Protesters also broke into and damaged town‑hall buildings in Lille and Marseille.

Official response

The interior ministry condemned the incidents as “targeted acts of violence” and said some demonstrators attempted to loot shops and attacked police.

In Paris, a sizable demonstration continued. The BBC’s Paris correspondent noted that while a minority of protesters appeared intent on causing trouble, the main march remained peaceful.

“pacifists” who were “just trying to make things change”

President Emmanuel Macron appealed for calm, urging demonstrators to show “respect for people and property”.

The protests follow roughly three weeks of student‑led actions across the country. Organisers have called for workers’ unions and figures from the “yellow vest” movement to join. The movement, which began in the deprived suburbs of Paris, has spread nationwide, with students, teachers and parents rallying against understaffed, run‑down schools. Earlier this month the interior ministry reported about 6,100 arrests since the demonstrations began, the overwhelming majority of them minors.