Up to 500 schools across France are partially or totally closed today, Monday 5 October 2026, after recent clashes between riot police and student protesters. France's education minister, Édouard Geffray, stated that lessons will be "totally or partly suspended" in some "400 to 500" high schools because security conditions "have not been fulfilled".
The protests, which started last week, have spread from Paris to other cities including Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille. High school pupils and others have objected to a lack of teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and run-down buildings.
Édouard Geffray also claimed that 24 schools had been "burned or ransacked" since the start of the protests, and 78 education staff members had been wounded. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported 1,747 arrests on Friday, while the AFP news agency states over 5,000 people have been arrested in total since the movement began, with around 85% being minors.
Organisers have called for demonstrations to continue on Tuesday. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said his government is taking steps to address difficulties, including improving facilities and making the university admissions platform more transparent. The government is also accelerating the review of its "vandal-pays" bill.