Police use tear gas at barricaded Hélène Boucher high school amid ongoing French student protests
The incident adds to a wave of school closures and arrests across France as students demand more education funding.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Police sprayed tear gas at the Hélène Boucher high school in northeastern Paris on Thursday, October 8, after students erected barricades with rubbish bins, according to both the Independent and the New Indian Express.
What happened
Students positioned wheelie bins and other rubbish containers outside the school early Thursday, creating a fortified barrier. Riot police arrived from side streets and deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd. The Education Ministry reported that 375 schools were fully or partially closed on that day, while the Interior Ministry said more than 6,600 arrests have been made since the protests began in late September.
What the reports add
The Independent noted that at least a dozen demonstrations in support of the Hélène Boucher students were scheduled across France later that day, including a rally at Place de la Bastille. The New Indian Express highlighted that police also used pepper spray near Sciences Po University during the same wave of protests. Both outlets described protesters wearing surgical masks or hoodies to avoid identification.
What was said
The Independent quoted Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu in a televised address, lamenting the "violence, students and staff being attacked, police officers and gendarmes injured, schools set on fire". The New Indian Express did not provide a direct quote but reiterated the Prime Minister’s concerns about escalating violence.
How it came about
Student protests over under‑funded schools began in late September, prompting over 560 high schools to be disrupted, as reported in Felo’s article on October 2 (French high schools shut as student protests spark fires and clashes). Subsequent clashes in cities such as Strasbourg, Marseille and Rennes were documented in another Felo piece on the same day (French police clash with high‑school students amid widening school protests). By October 7, nationwide demonstrations involved more than 266,000 participants, according to Felo’s coverage (France sees tens of thousands of students protest school conditions and teacher shortages). The Hélène Boucher incident is the latest flashpoint in this escalating movement.
Key facts
- Police deployed tear gas at Hélène Boucher high school in Paris on October 8, 2026. (independent.co.uk)
- Students built barricades with rubbish bins and wore masks or hoodies. (newindianexpress.com)
- More than 6,600 arrests have been made since the protests began in late September. (independent.co.uk)
- The Education Ministry said 375 schools were fully or partially closed on Thursday. (newindianexpress.com)
- Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned the violence in a televised address. (independent.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-09-28 — Student protests begin across France demanding more education funding.
- 2026-10-02 — Over 560 high schools disrupted; dozens of staff injured.
- 2026-10-07 — Nationwide demonstrations involving more than 266,000 people.
