Hundreds of thousands of students have protested in recent weeks over staff shortages and dilapidated facilities in the country’s lycées – secondary schools attended by 15 to 18-year-olds.
On Saturday, their numbers were bolstered by trade union members and other protest groups.
These groups include the so-called gilets jaunes ‘yellow vest’ movement, who demonstrated against cost-of-living hikes for over a year from 2018 – becoming one of the longest-lived protest movements in French history.
While France is no stranger to outbreaks of protest and disorder, this round comes as the country heads into a period of deep political uncertainty.
French President Emmanuel Macron will leave office next year and polls suggest April’s presidential election could come down to a fight between the leader of the National Rally, Marine Le Pen, and Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the hard-left La France Insoumise party.
The latter took part in demonstrations in France and later accused police officers of “unleashing” on protesters, while condemning looting and arson.