Live: Tens of thousands expected at Paris protests as unions join students

Live Issued on: 06/10/2026 - 04:31 French high school students gather outside the Lycee Turgot high school in Paris as part of nationwide protests on October 5, 2026. © Yves Herman, Reuters Tens of thousands of people are expected to march in Paris on Tuesday as French trade unions join high school students protesting conditions in schools. The demonstrations have been marked by clashes with police, injuries and arrests, with authorities expecting up to 40,000 protesters in the capital as unrest spreads across the country. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. Yesterday's key developments: • More than 5,000 people have been detained since student protests erupted in France last month, 87% of whom are minors, the French justice ministry said. • At least 589 schools throughout France have been disrupted, and more than 215 students have been injured as protests against underfunding and overcrowding continue. • A 15-year-old student protesting in the northern French town of Lens had ‌his hand blown ‌off after he picked up a ‌police grenade. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)