France: street violence hits historic record with 700 assaults per day
Violence outside the family context surpasses 20,000 incidents monthly in France, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The secondary school movement is intensifying the deterioration.
Urban violence at its highest in France
Violent offences in public spaces now exceed 20,000 incidents per month, or roughly 700 per day, according to Le Figaro citing the Ministry's Statistical Service for Internal Security (SSMSI). Between August and September 2026, these physical assaults outside the family context — committed in the street, shops, educational establishments or in the workplace — increased by 7% over one month and by 9% over twelve months, reaching 232,264 recorded incidents.
The latest economic outlook note from the SSMSI, attached to the Directorate General of the National Police, confirms an unprecedented deterioration. This increase coincides with the beginning of the secondary school movement launched on 21 September, which is directly contributing to the amplification of urban violence. The statistics include only assaults recorded and reported to the judiciary, excluding domestic violence.
Source: Le Figaro