🔴 Live: French students ‘not giving up the fight’ as 480,000 join new day of school protests

Live: French students ‘not giving up the fight’ as 480,000 join new day of school protests French students staged another day of nationwide protests on Tuesday over poor school conditions, including teacher shortages and dilapidated buildings, vowing to keep up the pressure ahead of half-term holidays. Around 480,000 protesters joined in on the demonstrations, with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg turning up in Paris to boost the movement’s visibility. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. Student protests intensify as tear gas and fires hit Paris "What was a calm atmosphere has become much more tense," reported FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin, as police fired tear gas and fires were started. French authorities say 161,500 turned out for protests, less than union numbers France's interior ministry said that 161,500 people turned out for the nationwide demonstrations on Tuesday, a lower estimate than unions put out earlier. Some 41,500 people participated in Paris, the ministry said. According to the ministry, the nationwide pro-student demonstrations on Thursday last week saw 71,500 people take part. 36 investigations launched by French police watchdog since protests began Thirty-six investigations have been opened so far by the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN), France's police watchdog, since the student protests began. More than 200 high schoolers, 800 police officers and 147 school staff members have been injured. While most of the school protests have been peaceful, violence has occasionally broken out, and a police response seen as heavy-handed drove many to join Tuesday's demonstrations. French unions say 480,000 people took part in pro-student protests French unions said that around 480,000 people took part in the nationwide demonstrations Tuesday. The last nationwide rallies supporting the student movement, held on Thursday last week, saw 71,500 people turn out, according to the interior ministry. Can police seize protest signs? Police have seized signs in recent student protests. But is it legal to do so, or is it considered police intimidation? In FRANCE 24's Entre Nous programme, we also discuss the origin of a slogan that’s catching on - ‘Bismillah, c'est les ténèbres’ - and another that allegedly, according to Le Parisien, has made Emmanuel Macron furious. Protest in Paris gets musical In pictures: protests in cities across France Lens (north) Credit: Sameer al-Doumy, AFP Brest (west) Credit: Fred Tanneau, AFP Bordeaux (southwest) Credit: Christophe Archambault, AFP Marseille (south) Credit: Thibaud Moritz, AFP French govt says ‘it is listening’ to students, who aim to ‘keep pressure’ up "French students say they are here to keep up the pressure on the government," FRANCE 24 reporter Claire Paccalin says, live from the ongoing protests. "And the government says they are listening". French students are protesting overcrowded classes and timetables, teacher shortages, and calling for reforms or the abolition of Parcoursup, the university admissions platform. Although school blockades have declined, incidents continue around some high schools. A demonstration has now started in Paris, from Place d’Italie towards Les Invalides. More protests to take place on Saturday At the head of the crowd marching through the streets of Paris, Ryad Rani, president of the student union syndicale lycéenne urged people to "turn out in droves" on Saturday, after the Yellow Vest movement called to renew protests. "We will finally bring about the convergence of struggles," she said. Two separate protests are due to set off at 2pm, one from the Place d'Italie and the other from Hotel de Ville. Macron urges restraint and respect from protesters Speaking on the eve of the protests, French President Emmanuel Macron urged restraint from protesters after days of sometimes violent clashes with police. "These are issues that deserve time, consultations, discussion and respect," Macron said while attending a car show in Paris. The education ministry said eight members of teaching staff were injured on Monday, mostly in the Paris region and the cities of Bordeaux and Lyon, in relation to the protests. Authorities said fireworks fired through tubes injured two school workers in Reims, one school worker in a Paris suburb and a police officer outside a school in Marseille. More than 6,800 people – largely minors – have been taken into police custody over the course of the protests, according to the justice ministry. Meanwhile, police have opened internal investigations into 24 allegations of brutality against demonstrators. Students vow to keep up protests after school holidays "Most people are ready to start again after the holidays", says 16-year-old Simon, a pupil at the Lycée Saint-Charles in Marseille, France's second-largest city. Others expressed fear that the protest movement may weaken over time, with half-term holidays starting next week. In the western city of Rennes, where protesters met before dawn outside the Jean-Macé secondary school, 13-year-old Lily worried that the protest may "run out of steam". But "October 17 will breathe new life into the movement", said her classmate Albane, referring to looming protests by unions, farmers and others angered by surging energy prices. Protesters in Marseille. Credit: Manon Cruz, Reuters Student union says 90% of French universities shut today Around 90 per cent of the approximately 70 French universities are "blockaded" or "closed" today as part of the protest movement, says the Union étudiante, France's leading student union. In a press release, the union added that "the detailed list is currently being finalised". Students, teachers march in cities across France Thousands of people – mainly high school pupils, university students and teachers – have begun marching in towns and cities across France as part of the movement’s fifth round of protests. In Strasbourg, demonstrators gathered at Place Kléber, in the city centre, before setting off on a march. Adeline Ferier, 42, a secondary school literature teacher and member of the SNES-FSU trade union, told AFP she was demonstrating "first and foremost in support of (her) 16-year-old daughter". "I think it’s great that young people are aware of inequalities and are taking action," she said, while also expressing strong criticism of the replacement plan announced by Education Minister Édouard Geffray. "You can’t have a budget with 1,500 fewer posts and then pretend to pull 3,000 posts out of a hat," she said. A march in Nantes on October 13, 2026. Credit: Stéphane Mahé, Reuters In Nantes, several thousand people marched behind a banner reading "schools without funding, a country without a future". "I think there are a great many of us in France who remain motivated. It’s a misunderstanding of the movement to think that the anger will disappear once the holidays begin," said Mariolino, a 16-year-old in his final year of secondary school. Thunberg 'extremely proud of French students' The Swedish activist, wearing her trademark keffiyeh, has spoken to journalists gathered outside a high school in Saint-Denis, where more than a hundred students gathered early this morning to block the entrance. "Young people aren’t being included in the discussions. Our future is being stolen from us and, as we’ve seen here, schools aren’t receiving the investment they need," said the 23-year-old. Greta Thunberg at the Lycée Paul Eluard in Saint-Denis, north of Paris. Credit: Julien de Rosa, AFP "So, what are we supposed to do? Give up? Of course not. That is precisely what people are saying here: we are not going to give up and we are going to fight for this future that is being stolen from us right before our eyes," she added, saying she was "extremely proud of French students". Education minister expects around 200 schools to remain shut French authorities are hoping that the protests will start to ease ahead of half-term holidays. "We should be at around ... 200 schools closed, which is fewer than last week," Education Minister Edouard Geffray said on France Inter earlier today, adding that some near protest routes were closing to avoid damage. Geoffrey last week promised some 3,000 substitute teachers would be deployed in the coming days to replace absent staff at the 114 worst-affected high schools. The education minister said that 35 percent had already been assigned. He also appeared to cast doubt on reports that some had been assigned to teach subjects other than the ones they were trained for. In pictures: 'Liberty guiding the students' Students block the entrance to the Lycée Montaigne in the 6th arrondissement (district) of Paris. A play on Delacroix's iconic "Liberty Guiding the People". Credit: Sarah Meyssonnier, Reuters Pupils in more affluent areas of Paris have joined the protests in solidarity with those in run-down suburbs of the French capital, calling for equal opportunities for all. Credit: Sarah Meyssonnier, Reuters Greta Thunberg joins France school protests Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has joined student protesters outside a blockaded high school in the Paris suburbs, boosting the visibility of the weeks-long movement. The 23-year-old, who became famous as a teen for school strikes to demand action on climate change, stood among pupils demonstrating outside the Paul-Eluard high school in the capital's largest suburb of Saint-Denis. (FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters) Keywords for this article