Half a million protest across France over schools and living costs

Around 500,000 people protested across France on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in a second wave of demonstrations against worsening school conditions and the rising cost of living, leading to nearly 1,000 arrests and new clashes. Police deployed 70,000 officers, a 20% increase from the previous week, to prevent a repeat of the violence that marked earlier protests. Interior Minister Laurent Nunes reported an "extremely high level of violence" from masked far-left extremists, while the CGT union counted 800,000 protesters nationwide, though the government reported a lower figure of 410,000. The protests occurred six months before presidential elections, with far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon warning President Macron to concede or face weekly demonstrations and a general strike. The government also reportedly asked telecom companies to prepare to block social media platforms on the protest day, though this information remains unverified.