French high school students blockaded or disrupted hundreds of schools across the country this week, with protests escalating into clashes with police in multiple cities.

The demonstrations, which began last week in the Paris region, have now affected around 400 schools nationwide. Students cited overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, dilapidated facilities, and overheated rooms during recent heatwaves as key grievances.

On Tuesday, authorities detained 440 people, most of them minors, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. Education Minister Édouard Geffray reported a total of 76 injuries among students and school personnel since the protests started. Police also sustained injuries, with 48 officers hurt in Tuesday's incidents alone.

Some protests turned violent, with students setting fire to garbage bins, throwing projectiles, and vandalizing property in places like Lille and Lyon. Officers responded with tear gas and batons in several locations. The actions coincided with a broader public-sector strike by teachers, firefighters, and healthcare workers opposing planned budget cuts.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had warned against escalation ahead of the actions, calling any further disruption irresponsible. The unrest comes just days before the government is set to present its draft 2027 budget and amid growing political pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's administration ahead of next year's presidential election.

The Education Ministry said the protests impacted roughly one in ten high schools on Tuesday. Student unions have framed the blockades as a response to years of underfunding in the national education system.

Government officials condemned the violence while acknowledging students' right to protest peacefully. The movement has spread from the Île-de-France region to cities including Nantes, Marseille, and Nice.