Demonstrations are being organised across France for Saturday, October 17, the first day of the school holidays, as anger over police treatment of protesting students adds to wider frustration with Emmanuel Macron’s government. The day of action brings together grievances over fuel prices, action by firefighters’ unions and two weeks of protests by high school pupils, ahead of the 2027 elections.
The date was first promoted by small groups linked to the Yellow Vests movement and gained momentum on social media after schools closed. Its focus has since shifted towards the use of force by police against young protesters. The National Police Inspectorate General, known as the IGPN, is investigating 24 incidents. One case involves Eden, a 14-year-old whose jaw was reportedly broken by a tear gas canister. A police officer has been placed under formal investigation, and the boy’s family, represented by lawyer Elza Marcel, has filed a complaint alleging attempted murder.
Reuters has documented 28 injuries caused by police force, 15 of which are being examined by the IGPN. Two people lost an eye or suffered serious eye injuries from rubber bullets. In Argenteuil, a 16-year-old was hit in the left eye, although it remains unclear whether a rubber bullet or another projectile was responsible. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has put the number of injured students at about 200, while saying that police action was rarely the cause. He temporarily suspended one type of munition after a 15-year-old in Lens lost a hand, most likely to a stun grenade.
Officials point to violence on the other side as well. According to official figures, 700 police officers have been injured, schools have been looted or set alight, teachers have been assaulted and 6,877 people have been arrested, most of them minors. Thierry Clair, of a police union, said the underlying problem was extreme violence by some young people.
Political and rights groups are also weighing in. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France Insoumise, urged students to pursue peaceful strategies. Amnesty International and United Nations human rights experts have criticised the use of rubber bullets and tear gas grenades against demonstrators. With grievances over living costs, public services and policing now overlapping, the October 17 protests are shaping up as a broad test for the government before the start of the national election campaign.
