French schools targeted in protests over staff shortages

In Marseille, hundreds of young people surrounded a fire truck at Saint-Exupery high school, forcing firefighters to flee before setting the vehicle alight. Separately, a headteacher was attacked at Victor Hugo high school in the same city, according to the prosecutor's office. Another blaze occurred at Nelson Mandela high school in Nantes, though fire crews reported no injuries there and the fire was under control.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's office convened a crisis meeting to address the growing unrest. Officials stated that dozens of people have been injured and hundreds arrested, many of them teenagers. Students have voiced concerns about heavy-handed police tactics, including the use of teargas. The government has acknowledged the difficulties in high schools while condemning the violence.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez suggested that some individuals were moving between schools to incite violence. Education Minister Edouard Geffray recommended that schools hold classes remotely if their premises were blocked, emphasizing students' right to education.