Three weeks ago we wrote about high school students blockading their schools in France. Since then, that movement has grown into the country's worst unrest in years: hundreds of thousands of people in the streets on back-to-back Saturdays, looting and fires in dozens of cities, metro stations closed and, in some Paris neighborhoods, overnight curfews.

Here's a plain-English update on what's happening as of October 28, 2026, followed by three practical things to do if you ever find yourself in the middle of it, whether you're traveling in France or unrest breaks out closer to home.

The protests started in mid-September, when high school students blockaded schools over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, run-down buildings and an admissions system many see as unfair. Over the following weeks, unions, teachers, nurses, ecologists and former "yellow vest" activists joined in, and the movement widened into anger over the cost of living, high fuel prices and government spending cuts.

President Macron has said more unrest is likely this coming weekend, and organizers have called a nationwide day of demonstrations for November 5. Similar protests have also flared in Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. Whatever you think of the causes, and there are real grievances and real concerns about both the violence and the police response, this is not over yet.

Most people in France are simply trying to get to work, pick up their kids or enjoy a trip. Those are the people this guide is for.

The best time to leave a protest area is before it turns. The warning signs are usually visible minutes, or even hours, ahead:

When you notice them, don't stop to watch or film. Turn down a side street and move away at an angle, not through the crowd and not toward the police line. If you're caught in tear gas, move upwind and to higher ground, don't rub your eyes, and rinse with clean water as soon as you can.

During unrest, the trouble usually isn't the protest itself. It's what follows: closed metro lines, a curfew, shops shut for the evening, a hotel you can't get back to. A small pouch on your body (not in a backpack you might drop) covers you for a day:

Once you've reached somewhere safe, like your hotel, a friend's place or a calm café well away from the route, stay put until things settle. Waiting a few hours is almost always safer than trying to cross a tense part of the city.

You don't need to be in Paris for this to matter. Protests, big-game celebrations that get out of hand or tense events can disrupt any American city with little warning. Spot the signs early, keep a few days of supplies so you don't have to go out, and have a family check-in plan. We covered the home version in detail in our earlier article, France's Student Riots: How to Prepare Your Household for Civil Unrest Near You (link below).

France is going through a hard few weeks, and more demonstrations are planned. If you're there, or headed there, the plan is simple: see it early, step away, carry a little, stay put once you're safe, and stay connected. Calm and prepared beats curious every time.

If you want the whole system for your home laid out step by step, our guide Prepared, Not Paranoid is a calm, one-weekend plan for apartments and suburban homes.

This article reflects reporting available on October 28, 2026. Figures differ between officials and organizers, and situations like this change quickly. Follow local authorities and the U.S. Embassy for the latest guidance.