France Student Protests Escalate As Fires Hit Schools; Nearly 2,000 Arrested

Student protests over school funding and deteriorating conditions have escalated across France, with fires reported at several schools and nearly 2,000 people arrested as demonstrations spread to hundreds of educational institutions.

Fires broke out at two high schools in Nantes in western France, while footage showed flames engulfing the entrance of a school in Rouen in the north.

Students have been protesting over a shortage of teachers and staff, overcrowded classrooms and poorly maintained school buildings. University students joined the demonstrations on Thursday, raising similar concerns about resources and conditions.

Nearly 2,000 Arrested, Hundreds Of Schools Affected

The French Interior Ministry said 1,949 people were arrested on Thursday and 305 police officers were injured.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held a crisis meeting to discuss the unrest. The government subsequently described the student-led demonstrations as having descended into "urban violence".

According to the Interior Ministry, demonstrations have affected 1,027 lycées across France, with 222 facing blockades.

At least 30 universities have also reportedly been blockaded, including campuses in Rennes and Paris.

The protests at French lycées — schools generally attended by students aged 15 to 18 — began last week before spreading across the country.

Fires And Violence Reported At Schools

In Nantes, both fires began after bins were set alight.

At Nelson Mandela High School in the city centre, flames spread to the front of the building and damaged the entrance hall.

In Marseille, staff at Victor Hugo High School were reportedly splashed with petrol as protesters filled containers.

A headteacher at Degrugillier High School in Auchel was also injured in the ear by a firework, according to reports.

Public transport was disrupted in Marseille and Strasbourg on Thursday amid vandalism, threats of violence and concerns that transport could be used by protesters to move between locations.

Students Cite Poor Facilities

Students taking part in the demonstrations have pointed to deteriorating school infrastructure and shortages of staff.

Seventeen-year-old Raphael, who protested outside a school in Strasbourg, told AFP that his school had leaking rooms and insufficient toilets.

"The building is falling apart, the cafeteria is too small. There's zero budget, zero resources, not enough supervisors," he said.

Students and their supporters have called for greater funding, more teachers and staff, and improvements to school buildings and facilities.

Protests Become Political Flashpoint

The demonstrations have also become a political flashpoint, with the government and right-wing politicians accusing the hard left of helping fuel the unrest.

The protests are being organised by a union representing lycée students.

Bally Bagayoko, the mayor of a Paris suburb and a member of the radical-left La France Insoumise (LFI), defended earlier remarks in which he had said violence could be legitimate in certain circumstances. He referred to situations in which protesters had allegedly been shot at while not wearing helmets or bulletproof vests.

LFI leader and presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon said he supported non-violent protests while arguing that blaming the political left would not address the issues driving the demonstrations.

Right-Wing Leaders Call For Tougher Action

National Rally leader Marine Le Pen said the unrest had moved beyond ordinary student demonstrations.

"This is no longer about high school student protests. It is about riots organized by professionals and overseen by deputies from La France Insoumise," she said.

Le Pen called for a new anti-rioting law.

Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan condemned what he described as "unacceptable violence", while saying young people had legitimate concerns about their future and public services. He called on protesters to express their grievances peacefully.

Eric Ciotti, the Republicans mayor of Nice, said parents of people found responsible for damaging school property should be required to pay for repairs.

The French government now faces pressure to address the concerns over education funding and conditions while dealing with the violence and disruption that have accompanied parts of the protests.