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United Nations rapporteurs said they are horrified by the level of violence used against students and young people protesting in France over long-standing demands. In a written statement, they said excessive force, violence and mass arrests are not appropriate responses to a social protest movement in a state governed by the rule of law.

The statement also condemned attacks that injured police officers and damaged buildings and shops, and called for those acts to be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.

Demands and the movement's growth

The rapporteurs recalled that teachers had long raised demands for a functioning education system, decent material conditions for education, and appropriate school and university programmes. They noted that a movement began gathering momentum in France from mid-September 2026, first among high school students and then with the participation of university students.

"We are horrified by the level of violence to which students and young people demonstrating to voice long-awaited demands across France have been subjected," the statement said.

Criticism of a security-led response

The statement said that although the authorities launched various initiatives in October to facilitate dialogue and respond to students' demands, the protests were met mainly with a security-focused response that ignored the underlying causes of the mobilisation. It added that the right to education is an international obligation and requires the maximum mobilisation of available resources in particular.

The rapporteurs said serious injuries suffered by underage demonstrators during police operations, in some cases irreversible, are unacceptable and cannot be justified.

Arrests described as disproportionate

The arrests and detentions affecting several thousand people, most of them minors, appear disproportionate and prevent demonstrators from exercising their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, according to the statement. The rapporteurs are in contact with French authorities on the matter.

The statement also expressed regret over injuries to police officers and damage to numerous buildings and shops. It condemned those acts of violence and called for measures to investigate them and hand the perpetrators over to justice.

Weeks of protests in France

High school students in France have been holding protests for weeks to demand improved education conditions. The actions, supported by university students, have led to the detention of around 8,000 people.

During the high school protests, one student lost an eye and another lost a hand.

Key takeaways

• UN rapporteurs said they are horrified by the violence used against student protesters in France.
• Excessive force, violence and mass arrests are not appropriate responses to a protest movement in a rule-of-law state, the statement said.
• Arrests and detentions affecting several thousand people, most of them minors, were described as disproportionate.
• Around 8,000 people were detained, and during high school protests one student lost an eye and another a hand.