Fires break out at French schools as students protest nationwide

Several schools in France have witnessed fires ignite following nationwide student protests over funding and educational conditions. The conflagrations occurred at two high schools in Nantes and another engulfed the entrance of a school in Rouen. Students are protesting due to inadequate staff, overcrowded classrooms, and deteriorating facilities.

University students joined the demonstrations, echoing similar demands. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting to address the unrest. The government alleged that the demonstrations had turned into urban violence. Two fires in Nantes originated from a bin being set alight. One blaze at Nelson Mandela high school spread to the front of the building, damaging the entrance hall.

In Marseille, a student protest resulted in staff members being doused with petrol. Meanwhile, a headteacher at Degrugillier high school in Auchel sustained an injury to the ear from a stray firework. Blockades and protests against French lycées - institutions for 15-18 year olds - began last week and have since spread to hundreds of schools across the country.

French media reported 625 arrests on Wednesday, and 83 police officers were injured, with over 600 arrests by midday on Thursday. More than 600 universities have also been blockaded, including campuses in Rennes and Paris. Public transport services in Marseille and Strasbourg were halted due to vandalism, threats of violence, and to impede protesters from moving around.

Seventeen-year-old Raphael expressed his discontent with his school's facilities, citing leaks in rooms and insufficient toilets. France's upcoming general election, though months away, has seen the protests become heavily politicized. The government and hard-right politicians have blamed the hard left, organized by a union representing lycée students, for igniting the protests.

The LFI leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, advocated for non-violent protests while denying that blaming the left would solve the underlying issues. Meanwhile, hard-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen accused organizers of being "professionals" and called for a new anti-rioting law. Marseille's left-wing mayor denounced the "unacceptable violence," while Nice's Republican mayor suggested that parents of those damaging school property should bear the costs of repairs.