Members of the Sindicato de Estudiantes discussed escalating education protests against Isabel Díaz Ayuso and drawing inspiration from unrest in France. Some messages named the town hall and major brands as possible targets, while others warned that public support was weak.
Pedro Sánchez’s announcement of a general election for 29 November prompted talk of escalation inside a WhatsApp group of the Sindicato de Estudiantes. Members of the group, named ‘Corredor del Henares’, discussed whether peaceful demonstrations were having any effect and whether unrest in France could be replicated in Spain.
OKDIARIO says it obtained the internal messages. Some participants argued that protests should become more confrontational if authorities continued to ignore them. The exchanges include calls to intensify street action, alongside frustration that the demonstrations had not yet sparked a wider upheaval.
One participant objected to damage against local shops, arguing they were the wrong targets. The same discussion proposed targeting public buildings. Apple and Starbucks were also named, while local businesses were presented as places to avoid.
The French unrest cited in the chat included the burning of Limoges town hall and attacks on shops in Lille and Marseille. Streets in central Paris and Bordeaux were also damaged. BBC reporting describes demonstrations that began largely peacefully amid concerns over the cost of living and public services, as well as poor school conditions. Those conditions included teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms, alongside deteriorating school buildings. During the unrest, a fire severely damaged Limoges’s 143-year-old town hall. In Lille, a McDonald’s was set on fire and an Apple store was broken into; protesters also entered Marseille’s city hall. French President Emmanuel Macron had promised action against those responsible for the disorder, according to the source account. French officials distinguished peaceful demonstrators from groups involved in violence. NBC News reported that Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said most arrests were not directly connected to student protests. Authorities were also considering restrictions on public gatherings and curfews in some cities.
The messages also show participants questioning whether such tactics would win public backing. Some warned that importing the French model could make people view the protesters more negatively. One member argued that society was too polarised and insufficiently united for a revolution to succeed, while others said violence was a necessary means of change. BBC reported that around 550,000 people took part in demonstrations on the day of the largest clashes, when police arrested about 1,800. Most demonstrations remained peaceful.
The dispute has also played out publicly: Ayuso’s clash with Sánchez has centred on the Madrid president’s accusation that the prime minister was fuelling violence during the education strike. Ayuso also raised the possibility that unrest seen elsewhere in Europe could reach Madrid.
