France's school riots enter third week as far-left and Islamist alliance is blamed for deepening violence

From the Newshound archive · first published 8 October 2026.

A one-year-old baby was struck by a firework in its stroller near Versailles as France's student protests, now in their third week, have spiralled into full-scale riots, with more than 450,000 people on the streets and over 5,000 arrests. Education Minister Édouard Geffray told lawmakers that 24 schools had either burned down or sustained damage so severe they face weeks of closure, leaving at least 30,000 pupils without classes.

Experts point to an alliance between far-left groups and pro-Palestinian organisations, with protesters carrying Palestinian and Antifa flags as violence spreads nationwide.

A 16-year-old student was arrested after allegedly dousing a science teacher with petrol near a blazing fire in La Ciotat — one of several such gasoline attacks on teachers confirmed by police.

France summoned Iran's ambassador after Tehran ran what Paris called a "disinformation campaign" online targeting the protests, warning the "undignified provocations must cease".