During recent high school protests in France, police officers have been confiscating protest signs, particularly after reviewing the messages written on them. Some of the confiscated signs included phrases such as "We wanted to pile up, not be gassed" or "Gas the rapists, not the minors." According to Stéphane Maugendre, a lawyer with the Syndicat des avocats de France (SAF), such confiscations are only permissible "if the inscriptions are considered insulting or offensive." The Syndicat des commissaires de la police nationale (SCPN), a union representing police officers, agrees with this view, stating that in such cases, the confiscations must be followed by formal legal procedures. The SCPN explains that "the judicialization of these events begins as soon as an infraction is detected." High school students are increasingly using creative and sometimes provocative messages on their protest signs during blockades. Examples include "Generation 67 re-creates May 68," referencing a historic student movement, and "We want a safe path, not Parcoursup," a reference to a controversial college admissions system. However, many of these signs do not last long in the protests, as some are confiscated by police. Social media videos show officers examining signs before taking them. Interestingly, the SCPN has published a guide for middle school and high school students about demonstrations, which explicitly states that signs are entirely authorized. Radio Nova compiled a list of some of the confiscated signs, including "We wanted to pile up, not be gassed," "Gas the rapists, not the minors," and "They don't care about us," with a circled letter A symbolizing the anarchist movement. One sign, "Macron, you're f***ing your teacher, not ours," reportedly made a police officer smile, and the demonstrator was allowed to pass. Reporters from the radio station attempted to get clarification from the unit commander but were unsuccessful. According to Stéphane Maugendre, "I do not see the basis for these confiscations, unless the inscriptions are considered insulting or offensive." The principle of freedom of expression is protected in France, especially during demonstrations. Sebastian Roché, a research director at the CNRS and a specialist in comparative police, notes that "political freedom of expression is particularly protected in France by law," but it does have limits. The SCPN explains that signs can be confiscated if they contain calls for hatred, incitement to violence, or messages that threaten others. However, it remains unclear whether the confiscated signs fall into these legally prohibited categories. The European Convention on Human Rights outlines specific conditions for restricting freedom of expression, such as the need to protect national security, public safety, or the rights of others. Whether the confiscated signs meet these criteria is still uncertain. The SCPN states that "generally, police officers do not have instructions to confiscate just a sign. It has no interest," and that legal proceedings should ideally follow any confiscation. Whether legal action has been taken in these cases remains unclear, as the videos do not provide a definitive answer. In a previous case, a demonstrator was fined for a shouted slogan deemed insulting, but the Court of Cassation ruled that it did not meet the legal threshold for such a charge. Stéphane Maugendre concludes that the process appears to be aimed at deterring young people from participating in protests.