The student and high school protests saw another day of heightened tensions on Tuesday. In Chelles, Seine-et-Marne, a regional councilor was doused with gasoline in front of the Gaston-Bachelard high school and has filed a complaint for attempted homicide. In Aix-en-Provence , the Émile-Zola high school was targeted by arsonists overnight. The government also announced that nearly 300 education workers have been injured since the start of the protests.
In Chelles, a regional councillor was doused with gasoline in front of a high school
The incident occurred in front of the Gaston-Bachelard high school in Chelles, Seine-et-Marne . Angela Pascoa Dos Santos, regional councillor for Île-de-France and deputy mayor of Chelles, was doused with gasoline while she was with parents of students mobilized to obtain the resumption of classes.
The president of the Île-de-France region , Valérie Pécresse, denounced this attack on the social network X. "Regional councillor Angela Pascoa Dos Santos had a bottle of gasoline thrown at her in front of the Gaston Bachelard high school in Chelles because she was standing alongside parents who are fighting for classes to resume."
Valérie Pécresse clarified that the elected official had filed a complaint for attempted homicide. "This is the level of violence we've reached today. The legal response must be unwavering. Calm must be restored to our high schools." The exact circumstances of the attack and criminal responsibility remain to be established as part of the investigation.
Laurent Nuñez denounces "urban violence" and demands a firm response
The Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez , reacted immediately to the attack. In a message posted on X, he condemned the act and stated that it went beyond the scope of a student protest : “I condemn the attack on a regional councilor, deputy mayor of Chelles, by a student who doused her with gasoline in front of a high school. This is no longer a student movement; this is urban violence, which demands the firmest and most determined response.”
This attack comes as several schools in Seine-et-Marne have been targeted by fireworks mortar attacks in recent days. At the Jehan-de-Chelles high school, pyrotechnic devices exploded in a classroom, leading to the suspension of classes. At the Louis-Lumière high school, also located in Chelles, two students were injured by shrapnel.
The Gaston-Bachelard high school itself had experienced several incidents, with mortar fire in the corridors and stairwells, causing panic among the students.
In Aix-en-Provence, a fire ravaged a room at the Émile-Zola high school
In the Bouches-du-Rhône department , the Émile-Zola high school in Aix-en-Provence was struck by a fire early Tuesday morning. The alarm was raised around 5:40 a.m. Twenty-six firefighters were mobilized to control the flames.
A classroom was completely destroyed by fire. Several charred plastic bottles were found in front of the door, and traces of hydrocarbons were detected on an exterior wall. No one was in the building at the time of the incident. The school was closed for the day.
The president of the South Region, François de Canson, denounced a deliberate act, stating that individuals had entered the high school to set it on fire.
"The few thugs who want to spread terror must be found, arrested and severely punished," he declared, announcing that the Region would join the legal proceedings.
The mayor of Aix-en-Provence, Sophie Joissains, also condemned the acts, while stressing that their intentional nature still needed to be confirmed. The establishment had already been the target of violence in its vicinity in the preceding days.
Nearly 300 national education staff have been injured since the start of the protests.
The government released a new tally on Tuesday of the violence committed since the start of the high school and university student protests. According to Mathieu Lefèvre, Minister for Ecological Transition and acting government spokesperson, nearly 300 members of the national education staff have been injured.
These acts of violence took various forms: firing of fireworks mortars, throwing of projectiles, physical assaults, fires and damage to school buildings.
During the previous national day of mobilization on November 5, the Ministry of the Interior reported 448 arrests, 53 injured law enforcement officers, and 86 fire-related incidents. Several school staff members were also injured by mortar fire, notably in Orléans, Ingré, and Arpajon.
In Toulouse , a school common room of approximately 100 square meters was completely destroyed by a fire caused by mortar fire. In Mennecy, in the Essonne department, an improvised explosive device was discovered in the restrooms of a high school.
Another day of protests despite the violence
These incidents occurred as another day of strikes and demonstrations was organized this Tuesday in several French cities. High school students, university students, and staff of the national education system are demanding, in particular, more resources for schools, improved working conditions, and a thorough reform of access to higher education.
The organizations involved are also demanding the repeal of Parcoursup and additional budgetary commitments. Discussions with the government have failed to end the movement, which has lasted for nearly two months.
The previous national day of action, on November 5, drew 575,000 demonstrators according to authorities, compared to 1,6 million according to organizers. This Tuesday, marches are being held in Paris and Lyon, among other cities, while authorities continue their security operations around schools.
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