ISA was in Paris, participating in the historic day of demonstrations across France on October 17. The atmosphere was joyful, open, and focused on the struggle. Everyone we spoke with was aware that the struggle must continue.

The demonstration was so large that it was impossible to get a sense of its size—there were tens of thousands, perhaps 100,000. The movement has now evolved from a high school student movement supported by college students and teachers—it now also represents a revival of the “Yellow Vests” and a united struggle that also addresses the cost-of-living crisis, high gas prices, rent, and electricity bills, among other issues. France 24 described it as a “crossroads of anger.” Given the widespread police violence and the threat from the far right, democratic rights have also become a key issue in this struggle.

On Saturday evening, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez acknowledged that there were 110 different demonstrations with 550,000 participants, while the Student union reported 1,750 actions and 800,000 participants.

To begin with, it was difficult to get to the demonstration. The police had set up roadblocks, sprayed tear gas, and searched everyone’s bags. Among other things, they confiscated eye drops used to protect against tear gas. Many people we spoke with reported that, over the course of the autumn, they had been attacked with tear gas without the demonstrators having done anything. Even while protesters made their way home late that evening on the subway, tear gas was suddenly released.

On October 17, a horrific incident from earlier in the protest movement was also repeated: a young person had their hand blown off by a police grenade (even though police announced the  suspension of such weapons after a similar incident on October 7). A protester in Paris died. The police claim it was due to cardiac arrest and had nothing to do with their actions. In total, police arrested 1,800 demonstrators on October 17.

There was seemingly a significant anarchist presence at the demonstration. Masked demonstrators (some of whom may have been agent provocateurs) piled up electric scooters and trash cans and set them on fire. Cars and kiosks were burned down. This was not something encouraged by the vast majority, who instead applauded the fire trucks that arrived to put out the fires. Everyone we spoke with after the demonstration spontaneously said they were so glad that things had gone so peacefully that day. Here are some of the voices from the demonstration.

What France’s Protesters Have To Say

“My name is Sofia, and I’ll be turning 17 soon.”

Why are the students demonstrating?

“Conditions at my high school are good, but I’m demonstrating in solidarity with all the schools that are struggling. It’s a nationwide movement. When I was in elementary school, conditions were poor. The walls of the school building were unpainted, and for an entire year we didn’t have a math teacher. We’re not just fighting for ourselves; we’re fighting for the whole country and for every student’s right to a good school.”

Rowan and Emma add that they’re not only fighting for all of France but also for the territories under French colonial rule, such as the French Caribbean. Emma herself is from Guadeloupe. There, the schools are in much worse condition than in France. The same goes for healthcare—you might have to wait five months to see a doctor.

Sisters Alice (left) and Louise (right) have demonstrated earlier in the movement, at their schools.

“I’m in college,” says Louise.

“We’ve blockaded our university. The worst part is the police violence. The police even went into our school building and beat people. They ripped the hijab off one of the students. They locked us in the main hall, and then they dragged us out and threw us out one by one. I’m protesting to support high school students, against the cost of living in France in general, and against police violence. The government is drifting further and further away from democracy. France is ruled by the police. Students and workers aren’t being listened to.”

Alice talks about the struggle at her high school:

“There are about 150 of us students on strike and blocking the school, out of 1,600 students. Some of us were arrested by the police without having done anything. We have classes without teachers, holes in the ceilings, and windows without glass. There’s no air conditioning. We live in a town outside Paris, but it’s even worse in poorer cities.”

You’re holding up signs with Marx on them—are you Marxists?

“We haven’t read that much about it. But we feel that Marx would have been proud of our struggle.”

Léa and Romane are outraged by the threat from the far right.

“Le Pen wants to take France out of the EU and withdraw all support for Ukraine. They’re threatening women’s rights. We have the right to abortion under the law, but doctors can refuse to perform the procedure. Women’s shelters aren’t getting enough funding. Of course, refugees’ rights are another area threatened by the far right.”

What are you going to do to stop Le Pen?

“We have to convince our grandparents not to vote for them. It’s mainly that generation that supports the far right. In our social circles, of course, no one supports them—France is so divided. But we have some friends who think [Jean-Luc] Mélenchon is too extreme. He stands for democracy—is that extreme?”

“I played in the orchestra here at Place de la République,” says Romane.

“We were a large group of demonstrators who brought our instruments—flutes, violins, cellos, and so on. But we had to stop because we were sprayed with tear gas. Without any explanation. Is that democracy?”

What Next?

That very question will be the subject of much debate in France. The right wing is quick to portray the left as “dangerous,” and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu spoke on Saturday evening, blaming the violence on La France Insoumise leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Mélenchon and the France Insoumise party participated in the demonstrations and subsequently highlighted the great success of the event and how peaceful it was. The far right received support from Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, who blamed the violence on immigrants.

Leaders of The Greens called on the interior minister to resign due to the police’s actions, claiming security in Paris and other cities is being handed over to “rioters” while peaceful demonstrators are being attacked.

Everyone we spoke with at the demonstration was focused on the fact that the struggle must continue. People understand that the presidential election is important, but that it requires the struggle to continue in the streets, workplaces, and schools.

When we put forward the idea that the strike called by the unions for November 5 should be a general strike, everyone agreed. There was also a palpable sense of pride when we talked about how French youth and workers are leading the way for the working class throughout Europe, and that we want to work to ensure the struggle spreads to our own countries. The strikes are necessary because capital must be challenged. France’s national debt to banks and large corporations is at a record high, and it is important to fight for a left-wing government that refuses to repay the debt and instead invests in schools and welfare. Long live the workers’ struggle in France, as part of the struggle against the capitalist system.