France Protests: An On-the-Ground Report

By Roy Doig in Carcassonne

Despite desperate attempts by right wing politicians and media to portray the French protests as violent riots, hundreds of thousands of students, workers, farmers and angry citizens turned out to peacefully protest at the austerity and assaults on living standards presided over by supposedly ‘moderate’ Macron.

He has mobilised the uniformed thugs of the  CRS riot police, tear gas and stun grenades which have already maimed several demonstrators. As we go to press further mass protests are pending.

Below we carry an article from one part of France on the unfolding events:

AS THOUSANDS PROTEST ON FRANCE’S STREETS WE OFFER AN ON THE SPOT LOOK AT WHY AND WHAT IT MEANS

We have all seen the images from mainstream media of the Student Demonstrations in France.  We see Police in full riot gear and pictures of dustbins on fire.  The far Right and its media friends are framing the events as extreme Leftist violence, pretty much like Trump describes anyone or any group who dare defy his racist, neoliberal policies.

As reported outside the Country, France is in an anarchistic mess.

I am currently living in South West France, near Carcassonne.  Outside of the larger conurbations the situation is different.  Carcassonne itself has a population of just under 50,000 people but when you add the small villages and communes within the agglomeration it is about 115,000 people, roughly the size of Dundee.

In the recent local elections a Far Right Maire (Mayor) was elected in Carcassone, Christophe Bartes, a member of Le Pen’s National Rally (RN in France).  His first action, in the midst of a cost of living crisis, was to criminalise begging.  The order was enthusiastically enforced by the local police.

This action by Mayor and Police was the flashpoint for the youth of Carcassonne to take action.

Students from the Lycees (Students from ages 16-18) in the area got together and formed a movement called Nous Carcassonne ( Roughly, We Are Carcassonne) to defend the rights of the local youth and to protest the cost of living crisis which is hitting France.

The Group started out as a Youth Organisation but soon families and friends were joining, 200 one week, and now it works with local Schools, University Student Organisations, Trades Unions, including the massive CGT, and Human Rights Organisations along with the umbrella organisation of The Left LFI (La France Insoumise), The Socialist Party of France and others willing to help to protest the Anti Begging Order , the problems in the Education System and the problems being encountered by the ordinary people of the town.

Nous Carcassonne do not describe themselves as a political movement, they are a civil rights movement with a focus on the rights of young French People irrespective of background or beliefs.  They organise the School Demonstrations but are supported by attendees from across the Political Parties, Trades Unions, Human Rights Groups, Teachers and family members.

In April 2026 Nous Carcassonne organised a popular rally in Carcassonne.  Prior to this the Maire had got someone into the Organisation’s Instagram Group and reported all of the participants to the Police.

The immediate reaction from the Maire was to threaten to remove civic funding from any Organisation taking part in the protests and to remove any publicly provided office spaces.

Nous Carcassonne called his bluff.  Although he mainly surrendered to the public will he has removed funding from the local Human Rights League.

What are the problems in French Education that are causing the discontent across the country?  Those of Carcassonne reflect the problems everywhere.

• There is a lack of Teachers in the system.  This is exacerbated by the number of them who do not have permanent contracts.  When money gets short, they are paid off and classes are cancelled.
• The fabric of the schools is in a very bad state.  Due to budget cuts even basic maintenance work is not being carried out and the structures are now becoming run down and potentially dangerous.
• There is massive discrimination in awarding University places with the bigger and better establishments giving priority to students from Private Schools, State Schools from the major Cities and others from “good” Post Code areas.  In France when a student applies for a University Place the application has to be accompanied by a Letter of Motivation to supposedly help in the selection process but these are very rarely used, meaning the poorer people from the public education system are the losers.
• The Students want the French Universities Clearing Web Site to be closed.  Students are applying for courses that are already massively over subscribed or cancelled but the site gives them no information on this.

Like the demonstrators over France Nous Carcassonne are demanding that 10Billion Euros is invested in the system, to convert the temporary teaching contracts to permanent, to employ enough teachers to reduce class sizes down from the unacceptable levels they are now at, sometimes 40 or more pupils in a single class and to carry out remedial works on the run down schools or build new if necessary.

I asked activists  about the behaviour of the Carcassonne police at protests, there were two in the first week of October.  The Police have not been heavy handed and the behaviour of demonstrators  did not justify action.

The main problems with the police are that they are very supportive of the Far Right Mayor and Groups but also that they are institutionally racist.   Nous Carcassonne recorded a couple of conversations between police officers and posted them online which shows just how openly racist they are.

The Nous Carcassonne movement is here to stay.  As the older students go off to University or jobs elsewhere the younger ones are stepping up.  They are protesting Anti Begging Laws and the Education System now, but they are aware that there is always danger just around the corner and they, with the help of Unions and the ordinary citizens of Carcassonne will continue to fight for the rights of Youth and younger people.

Currently they are on the streets on a regular basis handing out literature and talking to people and the most appropriate quote I was given came from an older couple who said it was great to see them redefining hope for youth.

Nous Carcassonne are representative of what is happening in France, outwith the major conurbations.

Our Mainstream Media only want us to see fires and violence.