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• Direct High school blockades: “Violence can be legitimate, but whenever we can avoid it, it’s better,” says Bally Bagayoko in front of an establishment in Saint-Denis
The CGT, FO, CFDT, UNSA, FSU, Solidaires, CFE-CGC and FA-FP are demanding an increase in the salaries of civil servants and “budgetary resources commensurate” with the missions of public services.
What you need to know
A day of all-out strike. Public officials, including firefighters, are demonstrating on Tuesday, September 29 throughout France at the call of a broad inter-union movement, with the ambition of putting pressure on the government, two days before the presentation of the draft budget for 2027. The main union organization of high school students, the Union syndicale lycéenne (USL), also called for a blockade of high schools throughout France on Tuesday, in support of this mobilization. The mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko, went to a high school in his town to “support the mobilization”. Asked about the episodes of tension that occurred in front of certain establishments, the elected official put in context and mentioned flash-ball shootings by the police. He felt that in response, "violence can be legitimate, but whenever it can be avoided it is better." Follow our live stream.
A very political mobilization. The unions hope to bring together as many civil servants as possible, in order to influence the government's decisions for the next budget, the presentation of which is scheduled for Thursday, but also to "send a message to the presidential candidates" at the dawn of the electoral campaign, conducive to "civil servant-bashing", said Laure Revel (CFDT) on Thursday.
Firefighters at the front. After a summer marked by historic fires during which firefighters were severely tested, they decided to gather in the capital to join the rest of the civil servants. Expected to number between 5,000 and 10,000 by the authorities, they will initially march in their own procession, between Place d'Italie and the Bastille, before joining the rest of the demonstrators, who will leave from Place de la République, then head to Place de la Nation.
The CGT promises a “black day” in the public service. The authorities expect to see between 20,000 and 40,000 people parade, excluding firefighters. The first union of primary school teachers expects 40% of school teachers to strike, Snuipp-FSU announced to AFP on Monday.
#GREVE#LYCEES Let's meet our journalist Lucie Rivière, who is now in front of the Gutenberg high school in Créteil where, there too, the high school students are mobilized (but the functioning of the high school is maintained). She has just filmed the intervention of a professor, who is mobilizing alongside young people and asking for “better recognition from the institution”.
Lucie Rivière also collected the testimony of a high school student. She describes the degraded conditions of her high school and asks for “more resources” from the State.
#LYCEES#GREVE Nothing on the high school student injured by a point-blank grenade shot in the face?
Response from Paolo Philippe
Hello @JRT, we covered this information yesterday. It should be noted that the LFI deputies of Val-d'Oise contacted the prosecutor, estimating that "police violence carried out against peaceful high school students must not go unpunished". As a reminder, a young person was injured in the face in a high school blockade in Val-d'Oise after a projectile was fired by a police officer.
#STRIKE Firefighters are demonstrating today in Paris and demanding additional resources after the megafires in Gironde. This summer, they faced the flames with unsuitable vehicles and a lack of masks. “Colleagues had coughing fits for ten to fifteen days following the poisoning suffered on the Saumos fire,” says Laurent Guilloteau of the CGT, for example.
#GREVE#LYCEES France 3 Hauts-de-France describes a tense situation in Lille. High school students blocked several establishments, including the César-Baggio high school where many police officers were mobilized.
#GREVE#LYCEES The LFI mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko, is in front of the Paul-Eluard high school, currently blocked. He says he is in “total support” of high school students and calls on the government and Valérie Pécresse to come and discuss with young people. Asked about the episodes of tension, the elected official wanted to discuss the context, citing in particular flash-ball shootings by the police. He felt that in response, "violence can be legitimate, but whenever it can be avoided it is better."
Franceinfo reporter Lola Baille is in front of the high school, where some young people have forced a gate.
#STRIKE#LYCEES But why the Palestinian flag???
Response from Paolo Philippe
Hello @moimeme56, you are referring to the last photo of our journalist Lucie Rivière in front of a Parisian high school. I asked her, and she told me that the mobilized high school students take advantage of the opportunity to express themselves on the subjects that are important to them. The Gaza question constitutes a "peripheral struggle" according to one of them, even if their main demand is at the level of resources in education and police interventions yesterday in front of high schools.
#GREVE#LYCEES On RMC, the president of the region was questioned about the blockages in high schools, and makes accusations against La France insoumise. She outlined an initial assessment: according to her, fifteen high schools have been vandalized and the cost of the work has already been estimated at 200,000 euros.
#LYCEES#GREVE “I call to stop sending police officers in front of high schools,” declared the general secretary of the CGT, Sophie Binet, on BFMTV, who denounced “police violence” committed yesterday in front of blocked high schools. “What they ask for are tables, chairs, teachers, and we respond by sending them police.”
#LYCEES#GREVE Our journalist Lucie Rivière is still in front of a Parisian high school, where high school students have established a blockade. They denounce in particular “overloaded” days. There is no violence here, as has been the case elsewhere.
#GREVE#LYCEES Alongside the civil service demonstrations, the day will be marked by the continuation of high school blockades. For a week, high school students have been mobilizing in front of their establishments to protest in particular against class closures, overloaded schedules and even the absence of teachers. These gatherings sometimes degenerated. Our journalist Lucie Rivière is in front of a blocked establishment in Paris.
