Widespread fires have broken out in French schools as students nationwide blockaded educational institutions in protest over under‑funded teaching conditions.
Blazes were first reported at two high schools in Nantes, with footage later capturing a brand‑new fire at a school entrance in Rouen. The demonstrators accuse the state of failing to supply enough teachers, overcrowding classrooms and maintaining dilapidated buildings.
University students joined the protests on Thursday, echoing the same demands. Police confirmed that 1,949 people were arrested, with 305 officers injured, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting to address the unrest.
French officials have dubbed the demonstrations “urban violence,” while politicians split their blame: the hard‑right accuses the left of incitement, and the left insists the protests are legitimate and peaceful.
In Nantes, fire was triggered by burning bins, quickly spreading to the school’s front entrance and damaging the hall. Meanwhile, a fire in Marseille involved spraying petrol from containers to ignite a school’s entrance area, and a head teacher in Auchel was injured by a stray firework.
Since the protests began last week, 1,027 lycées (high schools) have been affected, with 222 sites blocked. About 30 universities, including campuses in Rennes and Paris, were also reported blocked. Public transport in Marseille and Strasbourg was halted due to vandalism and security concerns.
One 17‑year‑old protester in Strasbourg said the school’s leaking roofs and lack of toilets left students frustrated. He demanded adequate budget and resources for the building’s upkeep.
Politicians on both sides of the political spectrum have taken bristling positions: the radical left supports the protestors’ right to cause violence where they feel threatened; the right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen calls for stricter anti‑riot laws, accusing the protests of being coordinated by political parties.
