Saint-Denis mayor confronts police at student protest

Video of Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko standing between police and student protesters during a demonstration in Paris has circulated widely, showing him repeatedly shouting “Stop” as officers advanced toward the group. Bagayoko said police later fired tear gas at the protesters, including him. The footage shows the confrontation but does not establish what prompted officers to advance or the circumstances in which tear gas was used. The encounter occurred during a march on Tuesday, October 6, amid student demonstrations that have spread across France. In the video, Bagayoko raises a hand and positions himself between officers and the young demonstrators. He said he intervened because several students had not behaved aggressively toward police and that he was asking officers not to charge. He described the children in the street as people he felt responsible for supporting. Bagayoko said tear gas was fired at the group. Video reported from the scene showed him leaving with irritated eyes and receiving saline treatment, though the available accounts do not independently establish the sequence leading to the gas being used.