Strike on November 5 in Nice: more than 5,000 protesters in the street, 10,500 according to unions, tensions in high schools

The inter-union mobilization against the rising cost of living and the lack of resources in the National Education system brought together several thousand people on Thursday, November 5, 2026 in Nice. The unions claim 10,500 demonstrators, compared to 2,600 according to the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture. In Menton, clashes were also reported near a high school.

The mobilization gained momentum in the streets of Nice on Thursday, November 5. In response to calls from union organizations, several thousand people joined the demonstration organized starting from Nice-Ville SNCF station. The gathering, scheduled for 10 o’clock, finally began around 10:50 a.m.

The demonstrators took Avenue Thiers, Boulevard Gambetta, Promenade des Anglais and Avenue Max-Gallo, before reaching Place Masséna. Throughout the route, signs reiterated the movement’s main demands, particularly regarding purchasing power and wages. “Precarity is over, raise our salaries”, could be read on one of the banners displayed at the head of the procession.

According to the unions, 10,500 people participated in the Nice demonstration. A figure significantly higher than that communicated by the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, which counted 2,600 participants at 11:40 a.m.

Despite the scale of the gathering, the march proceeded peacefully. Participants marched in a musical atmosphere, without any tension or incidents reported along the route.

Enhanced security measures and tensions in educational institutions

The demonstration took place under police surveillance. Following the violence and damage that occurred during previous mobilizations in Nice, particularly on October 17, authorities had planned a security operation involving the national police, municipal police and a CRS unit.

Access to Avenue Jean-Médecin was notably blocked as the procession dispersed. A measure that comes as merchants in the area remain marked by October’s violence. Several shops, particularly luxury stores and jewelers, had taken precautions by barricading their windows.

In Nice, the mobilization also affected educational institutions. A partial blockade was reported outside Albert-Calmette high school. In Menton, the situation was more tense near Pierre-and-Marie-Curie high school. According to the prefecture, a partial blockade formed in the morning and mortar fire was reported. Clashes between youths and police forces were also reported.

In Nice schools, disruptions were significant. Out of the 150 establishments in the city, ten remained closed and 90 experienced operational difficulties. Fifty-eight municipal canteens did not open on Thursday. After-school care centers were also affected, with 21 morning care facilities and 25 evening care facilities closed. University campuses, meanwhile, were not subject to blockades in the morning, according to the prefecture.

Between 360 and 1,000 demonstrators in Cannes

The mobilization also affected Cannes, where an inter-union gathering was held at Gare Square. At least a hundred people gathered at 10 o’clock, including representatives of Force ouvrière from the Cannes site of Thales Alenia Space. Recurring threats of job cuts within the company were among employees’ concerns.

For this city, the unions counted 1,000 demonstrators, while the prefecture recorded 360 at noon.

Beyond salary demands and the cost of living, this strike day also highlighted concerns about resources allocated to educational institutions. The movement was much more widely followed than in recent weeks while maintaining a peaceful atmosphere.