Fires break out at French schools as students protest nationwide

Fires erupted at multiple French schools as student protests erupted nationwide over concerns surrounding school funding and facility conditions. Two high schools in Nantes witnessed blazes, while another engulfed the entrance to a school in Rouen. Students are protesting inadequate staffing, overcrowded classrooms, and deteriorating buildings.

University students joined the demonstrations on Thursday, citing comparable demands. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened an emergency meeting on Thursday to address the unrest. The government claimed the student-led protests had escalated into urban violence. The fires in Nantes ignited after a bin was set ablaze. The blaze at the Nelson Mandela high school spread to the building's front, damaging the entrance hall.

In Marseille, staff at Victor Hugo high school were doused with petrol by protesters allegedly filling containers. Meanwhile, a headteacher at Degrugillier high school in Auchel sustained an ear injury from a stray firework. Blockades and protests targeting French lycées, equivalent to UK sixth forms, commenced last week and proliferated to hundreds of schools across the country.

French media reported 625 arrests on Wednesday, with 83 police officers injured. Over 600 arrests were made by midday on Thursday, excluding Paris, according to broadcaster ICI. At least 30 universities were also 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' movement.

Seventeen-year-old Raphael participated in protests outside a school in Strasbourg, where barriers obstructed nearby tram tracks. He expressed frustration over his school's inadequate facilities, citing leaking rooms, insufficient toilets, and a lack of resources. While France's next general election remains months away, the protests and their handling by French authorities have been heavily politicized.

The government and right-wing politicians have attributed the protests to the far left, which is organized by a union representing lycée students. LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, however, advocated for non-violent protests, criticizing those who blame the left as a solution. Meanwhile, hard-right National Rally member Marine Le Pen accused the demonstrations of being orchestrated by professionals and overseen by deputies from La France Insoumise, calling for a new anti-rioting law.

Marseille's left-wing mayor Benoît Payan denounced the "unacceptable violence," emphasizing that young people have legitimate concerns about their future and public services, but must express themselves peacefully. Republican Nice mayor Eric Ciotti suggested parents responsible for damaging school property should bear the cost of repairs.