About 266,000 people took part in protests across France on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said. About 56,000 of them marched in Paris. Police fired tear gas and water cannon, and nearly 500 people were detained.

The protests were led by students, teachers, and unions. They want more teachers, smaller classes, and better school buildings. Unions have asked for a 10-billion-euro investment in education.

The unrest began in mid-September at a high school near Paris. Since then, it has spread to schools across the country. Students say classes are too large and many teacher posts are empty.

Student unions have called for new protests on October 17. Five teaching unions also plan to strike on Thursday. They say the government has not listened to their demands.

The protests add pressure on outgoing President Emmanuel Macron. His government has struggled with education spending for years.

Police said some protests turned violent. Officers used force to push back crowds in several cities. Unions said most marches were peaceful.