‘Islam Takeover’ Or School Crisis? Trump Blames Migration As French Students Protest

More than 2.66 lakh people took to the streets across France on Tuesday, as students, teachers, parents and unions protested over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating school facilities. The demonstrations turned violent in parts of the country, even as US President Donald Trump claimed the unrest was driven by “out-of-control mass migration” and Islam.

The protests began in September after teachers and students raised concerns over long-standing problems in France’s education system. Since then, students have blocked entrances to hundreds of high schools, demanding better learning conditions, more teachers and improved facilities. Their complaints include missing teachers, overloaded timetables, crowded classrooms and ageing buildings struggling to cope with rising temperatures.

France’s Interior Ministry said 266,000 people joined demonstrations nationwide, including around 56,000 in Paris. Organisers put the turnout at about 450,000. Teachers, parents and trade unions have joined the students, turning the movement into a nationwide campaign over education funding and conditions.

Many demonstrations remained peaceful, but clashes erupted in Paris and other cities. Police used tear gas, batons and riot-control weapons, while some protesters threw rocks, started fires and damaged property. Police said around 300 “hostile individuals” tried to confront officers in Paris. More than 5,000 people had been arrested since the movement began, with 87 per cent of them minors, while Tuesday saw hundreds more arrests.

The police response has drawn growing scrutiny. A 15-year-old student lost a hand in Lens on Monday after a sting-ball grenade was fired by riot police. A 14-year-old boy in northwest Paris suffered serious facial injuries and lost most of his teeth after a police projectile was fired at close range. A police officer was charged over that incident. Prosecutors have also sought an inquiry in Metz after footage appeared to show a plainclothes officer inappropriately touching a detained girl under 15.

The government says 215 students and 715 police officers have been injured, while 85 education staff have also been hurt. Twenty-four schools have been burned or ransacked. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said police had opened 10 internal investigations into alleged misconduct.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has condemned the violence while saying students’ grievances must be addressed. President Emmanuel Macron was expected to meet senior officials, including the interior and education ministers, over the unrest.

Against this backdrop, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “What’s happening in France is nothing less than out-of-control mass migration. This isn’t about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!” He provided no evidence linking the protests to migration or Islam. French officials, students and teachers have instead identified education problems as the movement’s central cause.

The unrest comes ahead of France’s 2027 presidential election, adding political pressure as the government faces demands to address both deteriorating schools and the increasingly violent clashes surrounding the protests.