On October 2, 2026, images shared on social media showed individuals wearing tactical gear and pointing a heavy firearm at a target during a student protest in Toulouse, France. The photos, taken in Toulouse, depicted people in body armor behind a truck, with one of them pointing a rifle at an out-of-frame target. These images were posted on Facebook by a user who described the scene as resembling a special forces operation against terrorists or a war scene, with children on the other side. The images were taken during a day of student mobilization in Toulouse, but according to local authorities, the police intervention shown in the images was unrelated to the student protests, despite the geographical proximity of the two events. The area around the Lycée Déodat de Séverac in Toulouse saw multiple scenes of violence and vandalism on October 2, with a significant police presence in the city. Some observers noted a military helicopter patrolling the skies above the students, though it was unclear if the aircraft was part of the law enforcement deployment for that day. A police unit armed with weapons was deployed in Toulouse near the location of the student protests, as evidenced by video footage. The intervention was located near the Crous Déodat de Séverac residence, several meters south of the student gathering area. A user on X claimed that the BAC (Brigade Anti-Criminalité) was using an HK-G36 assault rifle, classified as a weapon of war, against students at the Déodat de Séverac high school. This post has since been deleted. The prefecture of Occitanie and Haute-Garonne and the national police denied these claims, stating that an individual hiding in a student residence had displayed a weapon at a window, which required the involvement of specialized personnel. The intervention was unrelated to the ongoing protests. The weapon seen at the window was later confirmed to be a prop, and the owner of the prop had contacted the police and was questioned. No credible evidence has emerged indicating that police used real firearms to suppress the student demonstrations on October 2, 2026. However, over 200 students have been injured during the various demonstrations, compared to nearly 800 police and gendarmes, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The police oversight body, the IGPN, has opened 18 investigations into alleged police misconduct.