French high school protests set for Thursday's 'Act IV' despite government call to return

On Tuesday, high-school students joined a wave of demonstrations across France, accompanied by teachers, parents and union members, while police recorded 488 arrests and 43 officer injuries. The interior ministry noted a total of 6,547 arrests since the movement’s expansion in late September. Organizers including the Union syndicale lycéenne, Union étudiante and the CGT reported higher participation figures and called for additional blockades and a Thursday “Act IV” procession, demanding the release of budget funds.

Minor clashes erupted in Paris, with masked protesters throwing projectiles and police responding with tear gas and sound grenades; similar tensions were reported in Lyon, Nantes, Rennes and Toulouse. Around 40 % of public higher-education institutions experienced disruptions, and 891 of the country’s 3,700 lycées saw classes suspended. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu invited students to return for a half-day of “internal democracy,” a plan school heads consider nearly impossible.