Published 10 October 2026. The situation is changing quickly, so check official sources for the latest.
Student protests in France have spread over the past few weeks, with hundreds of lycées blockaded and tens of thousands of pupils and students on the streets. Many of the people involved are under 18. This post isn’t about the reasons behind the movement. It covers what the law expects of parents, and what the consequences could be for a teenager.
The government has put parents in the spotlight. The Justice Minister said around 2,000 people had been arrested, 90% of them minors. He also told prosecutors to seek the civil liability of parents when their children cause damage, so that parents “pay for repairs”. At least one prefect has written to parents asking them to exercise their parental authority.
The short version
- Joining a peaceful demonstration is not a crime. Violence, damage, blockades involving threats, and hiding your face are where the legal trouble starts.
- Parents are financially liable for damage their under-18 child causes, but not criminally liable for their child’s acts.
- A minor aged 13 or over can be arrested, questioned and prosecuted, though the system leans towards educational measures rather than prison.
- Parcoursup has no “criminal record” box, but absences, school discipline and teachers’ comments can affect a file indirectly.
Your responsibilities as a parent
Financial liability. Under article 1242 of the Civil Code, parents who exercise parental authority and live with their child are liable for damage the child causes. This applies even if you did nothing wrong yourself, and you can only escape it in very limited circumstances. A law of 23 June 2025 reinforced this mechanism and the role of parents in youth justice proceedings. If your child damages a bus shelter, a vehicle or a school, you can be ordered to pay. Parents who fail to attend hearings they are summoned to may also face penalties.
Check your home insurance (assurance habitation, responsabilité civile). It usually covers damage caused by children, but some policies exclude deliberate acts or damage during riots or unlawful gatherings. Read the wording or call your insurer.
Criminal liability. You are not criminally responsible for what your child does. Separate offences exist for parents who seriously and persistently neglect their duties, but they target neglect, not a teenager who joined a march. A parent who actively encourages violence or damage could face their own legal risk.
School attendance. Pupils are expected to attend. Schools record absences, and taking part in a protest during school hours is not automatically a valid reason. Parents must justify absences, and you should be honest about the reason. Don’t present a protest as an illness, because that can cause bigger problems later. Formal consequences for unjustified absence mainly concern children under 16, but schools track everyone.
Supervision. In practice, being a responsible parent means knowing where your child is, discussing what they plan to do, agreeing a meeting point and check-in times, and making clear which behaviours (masks, projectiles, entering buildings) are off the table.
If your child is arrested
- You must be informed. Police must notify the parents or legal guardians of a minor in custody (garde à vue) promptly.
- A lawyer is mandatory for minors. Your child will have one, either chosen by you or appointed. Questioning is recorded on video, and a medical exam can be requested.
- Custody is time-limited. It is usually 24 hours, with extensions possible only in certain cases.
- Interpreter. If you or your child don’t speak French well enough, you can ask for an interpreter.
- Don’t sign anything you don’t understand.
Possible outcomes range from no further action to a warning, an alternative measure such as a reparation task or a stage de citoyenneté, or referral to the juge des enfants. Under the Code of Juvenile Criminal Justice, there is usually a first hearing on guilt and a later one on sentence, after a period of educational follow-up. Parents are expected to attend.
What a minor can be charged with
Children under 13 are presumed not to have the necessary discernment. From 13, a minor can be held criminally responsible, with penalties generally reduced compared with adults. Offences that can come up around protests include:
- participating in a group intending to commit violence or damage
- unlawful entry into a school to disrupt it
- obstruction by threats or violence
- damage to property and arson
- violence against police officers
- refusing to disperse after official warnings
- covering your face
- throwing projectiles, or possessing or using fireworks
Taking part in a banned demonstration is a lesser offence (a fine), but a prefecture can ban a march, so check local announcements.
Impact on school record and university applications
There is no automatic link between a protest and a Parcoursup file. The platform has no field for police or criminal records, and universities don’t see police files. The risks are indirect:
- Absences and teachers’ comments. Report cards feed into the file, and appraisals can mention attendance and conduct.
- School discipline. Sanctions range from a warning to temporary exclusion or permanent exclusion after a conseil de discipline. Parents can attend, access the file and challenge a decision, but the deadline to appeal is short, so act on the date in the notification letter. A permanent exclusion disrupts schooling and can complicate the final year.
- Criminal record. Convictions of minors generally don’t appear on the extract of the criminal record (bulletin n°3) and are mostly hidden from bulletin n°2. But police databases can keep records for years, even without a conviction, and careers like the police, armed forces or working with children involve administrative checks.
If your family is not French
For foreign nationals, minors don’t need a residence permit, but at 18 they must apply for one. A record of offences, or a finding that someone is a threat to public order, can matter for permit renewals, naturalisation or nationality applications. If your child has been arrested, get advice from a lawyer who knows immigration law.
If your child is hurt
Several young protesters have reportedly been injured in recent weeks, and the Interior Ministry’s own figures include more than 700 injured police and gendarmes. If your child is hurt, whoever is responsible:
- Get a medical certificate that records the injuries (and any ITT, the work-incapacity period).
- Keep photos, videos and witness details.
- You can file a complaint (plainte). Complaints about police conduct can also go to the Défenseur des droits or the police and gendarmerie oversight bodies (IGPN, IGGN).
Where to get help
- A lawyer. Many bar associations run duty schemes for minors, and your mairie or the Maison de la Justice et du Droit can point you to free legal advice (consultation juridique gratuite).
- Parents’ federations such as the FCPE or PEEP, which have been giving guidance to families.
- The school’s headteacher or CPE for questions about absences and discipline.
- Help in France, if you need help understanding a letter from the school, police or court.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. If your child has been arrested, summoned or sanctioned, speak to a qualified lawyer.