French police fire tear gas at Paris high school as student protests persist despite PM's unspecified promises

From the Newshound archive · first published 8 October 2026.

Riot police used tear gas at the Helene Boucher Lycée in northeastern Paris on Thursday after students built fresh barricades outside the school using rubbish bins. More than 6,600 people have been arrested since the unrest began in late September, when predominantly under-18 students started calling for greater investment in education. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu offered assurances to protesters but declined to give any details, and the blockades show no sign of letting up.

France's Interior Ministry reported that 375 schools had closed fully or in part on Thursday, with at least a dozen more demonstrations planned around the country.