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The BBC's Hugh Schofield is in Paris as a wave of school protests over overcrowded classes and teacher shortages spreads across France.
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Capital and largest city of France
Paris is the capital and largest city of France, with an estimated city population of 2.04 million in an area of 105.4 km2 (40.7 sq mi), as of January 2026, and a metropolitan population of 13.3 million (2023). Located on the Seine in the centre of the Île-de-France region, it is the largest metropolitan area and fourth-most populous city in the European Union (EU). Paris is nicknamed the "City of Light" mainly due to its leading role in the Age of Enlightenment.
More on Wikipedia ↗Police have made around 2,000 arrests and dozens of people have been injured as student protests spread across France. Ministers have called for a "day of dialogue" but students have called for further strike action.
French high school students light fires, clash with police as protests over school conditions leave more than 200 people wounded, force hundreds of schools to close.
About 400 schools in France are expected to remain closed on Friday after student protests over education-related grievances turned violent in some places.