France Student Protests: Tear Gas in Paris as Hundreds of Thousands March

France's student protest wave peaks on October 6 with a national day of demonstrations: 256,000 marchers counted by the Interior Ministry, 450,000 by organizers, up to 100,000 in Paris marching from République to Nation. What began September 21 at a Créteil high school over teacher shortages, overcrowded classes and crumbling buildings has spread nationwide — 24 schools burned or ransacked, 78 staff injured, over 6,500 arrested, mostly minors. Police fired tear gas as the Paris march ended; Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu suspended classes through the week.