A 64-year-old Singaporean man on holiday in France found himself caught up in a student protest in Lyon, where he was exposed to tear gas after a canister landed near him.
Ji Hongwen, who was travelling with his wife and sister-in-law, had been exploring a morning market before the unexpected encounter disrupted their lunch plans.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the family heard a commotion nearby and decided to investigate. Ji soon discovered a confrontation between student demonstrators and heavily equipped police officers.
Singaporean Tourist Caught In Tear Gas Chaos
Ji said protesters were throwing rocks and other objects at police, while rubbish bins and other items along the street were set on fire.
The situation quickly escalated, with flames spreading along the street as police officers fired tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Describing the experience, Ji said the repeated sounds of tear gas being fired made the area resemble a war zone.
The situation became particularly uncomfortable when a tear gas canister landed right beside him, causing his eyes to water uncontrollably.
Ji subsequently ran alongside fleeing students into nearby alleys to escape the affected area. He said his eyes began recovering after about two minutes.
Despite the frightening encounter, he also noticed how some protesters appeared to look out for one another. When a demonstrator was affected by tear gas, other students would approach to help administer eye drops.
Holiday Plans Continue Despite Unusual Encounter
Ji explained that the unrest was confined to particular parts of the city and that public transport services were generally unaffected.
His family therefore continued with their travel itinerary after leaving the protest area.
Looking back on the incident, Ji appeared to take the unexpected experience in his stride. He recalled seeing a reporter nearby filming the demonstrations and documenting the unfolding events.
He described the encounter as a “unique travel experience”, despite having been caught in the tear gas himself.
Student Demonstrations Spread Across France
The incident occurred amid a wider wave of student demonstrations across France, reportedly linked to concerns over conditions in the country’s education system.
According to France 24, the unrest began following a teachers’ strike on Sep. 17 at a lycée in Créteil, a suburb of Paris. A lycée is a French secondary school that prepares students for the national baccalauréat examination.
Students subsequently joined the action in solidarity with teachers, with demonstrators blocking school entrances. Similar protests then spread to other schools across the country.
Among the grievances raised were staff shortages, deteriorating school buildings, uncomfortable conditions during heatwaves, long school hours and concerns about the fairness and transparency of the university admissions system.
Reports cited in the original account indicated that around 250,000 people had taken to the streets, with approximately 6,000 arrests made.
For Ji and his family, what began as an ordinary holiday outing in Lyon became an unexpected encounter with civil unrest. Nevertheless, the incident did not prevent them from continuing their trip through France.