France society · October 2026

Protests over conditions in French schools escalated in October 2026, with high school blockades continuing and demonstrations spreading to universities. Schools were set on fire, hundreds of people were detained and dozens were wounded. The group SOS Périscolaire warned of a second wave of attacks. Laure Lavalette accused La France insoumise of inflaming the situation, while bvoltaire.fr alleged that La France insoumise sought to manipulate the high school blockades. Violence and unrest were reported in Marseille during protests and on the anniversary of a terrorism attack. Students set fire to French schools during protests over teacher shortages and run-down buildings. A church in Strasbourg was damaged by flames during high school riots. Students in Paris clashed with protesters over a university blockade. The Île-de-France region recorded 16 ozone pollution days in summer 2026. Paris and London ended a migration pilot agreement.