'Stop': French mayor stops police from advancing on protesters
What's the story
A video has emerged of Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko stepping in between riot police and student protesters during a nationwide demonstration in France. In viral videos, the mayor, a member of the left-wing La France Insoumise party, was seen raising his hand and repeatedly shouting "Stop" as officers advanced toward the protesters. The mayor was later caught in tear gas fired by police, with footage showing him leaving the protest site with irritated eyes and receiving saline treatment.
Twitter Post
Watch video here
This has to be the video of the year. Bally Bagayoko who is the mayor of French city Saint-Denis shouts at police to “Stop!” and protects the student protesters. pic.twitter.com/XyXc7AUz6d
— Power to the People ☭🕊 (@ProudSocialist) October 6, 2026
Mayor's defense
Bagayoko defends his decision to intervene
The protests, which started in the Paris region in September, have now spread across France.
Students are demanding more funding for public schools, more teachers, better facilities and action over overcrowded and poor classroom conditions.
Bagayoko defended his decision to intervene, saying he was there to protect the young people of his city.
He said many of the students had not behaved aggressively toward police before officers moved against them.
He called the police response, including tear gas use, "disproportionate."
Government response
Protests politically contentious
The protests have put pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government to address students' concerns.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has ordered his ministers to tackle the students' leading demands, which include replacing absent teachers and reviewing the length of the 8:00am to 6:00pm school day.
The government will also look at repairs needed to aging school buildings. Lecornu has asked ministers to send in their first proposals by the end of October.