Video: Mass protests by schoolchildren have swept across Europe; migrants are setting fire to buildings and cars

Protests by schoolchildren, college students, and educators are continuing in several European countries over problems in the education system, funding cuts, and planned reforms. In some cities, the demonstrations have escalated into clashes with police, blockades of educational institutions, and arson.

In France, the protests began following a strike by teachers at the Saint-Exupéry high school near Paris on September 17. Teachers cited a shortage of instructors in various subjects, and students joined the protests in their support.

Subsequently, complaints about excessive academic workload, the poor condition of school buildings, and the opaque university admissions system were added to the list of demands. Despite President Emmanuel Macron’s statements about his willingness to respond to the protesters’ demands, the demonstrations have not stopped.

In Belgium, demonstrations began on October 1 in the French-speaking part of the country. Students and educators are protesting cuts to education funding, increases in college tuition, and a heavier workload for teachers. In Liège, protesters blocked educational institutions, damaged property, and set fire to buses, among other things. Police used tear gas and water cannons.

In Austria, discontent among students and university communities stems from a potential cut in higher education funding of approximately one billion euros for the 2028–2030 budget period. Also, on October 9, a protest took place in Vienna against the ban on wearing hijabs in schools for girls under the age of 14.

Despite shared dissatisfaction with education policy, the protests in each country have their own causes and demands.

In France, high school students once again blocked schools and took to the streets on October 8, declaring that they would continue their protests despite the government’s promises to improve the situation in education. Protests took place, in particular, in Lille, Rennes, Nantes, Lyon, Toulon, and Marseille, while in Paris, marchers reached the Place de la Bastille. 

U.S. President Donald Trump linked the mass student protests in France to uncontrolled migration and Islam. In a post on Truth Social, he claimed that the events in the country were allegedly unrelated to schools.