French students clash with police as school protests continue

Students dance, sing and chant in front of police outside Hélène-Boucher secondary school in Paris as tensions rise. Officers push back the crowd, use tear gas and dismantle a barricade erected by pupils. In Rennes, burning rubbish bins are seen near Saint-Vincent Providence secondary school before firefighters arrive to put out the flames, with police also at the scene.

The school blockades are part of a new day of mobilisation across France. Demonstrators are calling for concrete measures from the government, despite efforts to ease tensions. The unrest comes as political debate heats up ahead of the 2027 presidential election.