In 2026, students took over the July Column in Paris, linking 1830 and 1848 revolutions with a tribute to the past.
Students occupy July Column
On Thursday, October 8, high school and university students took control of the July Column, a prominent monument in Paris’s Place de la Bastille. The column, built to commemorate the July Revolution of 1830, stood at the center of a symbolic act of protest by the youth.Historical significance of the site
The base of the July Column is where the remains of those who died during the Three Glorious Days in 1830 and the February Revolution of 1848 are interred. These events marked significant upheavals in French history, and the site has long been a place for political expression and remembrance.Students' actions and police response
The students left inscriptions on the monument, reflecting their demands and views on current issues. They were eventually dispersed by the police, though their actions drew attention to historical and contemporary struggles for change in France.Symbolic connection to past revolutions
According to one report, the students did not desecrate the remains of those who died in 1830 but instead honored them. This act linked the youth of 2026 to the revolutionary past, creating a bridge between historical uprisings and modern activism.
