Youths taking part in a high school blockade in Marseille attacked a firefighting crew on Thursday morning, looting one of their vehicles and setting it on fire, as a nationwide student protest movement in France escalated into violence in several cities.
The incident took place outside Saint-Exupéry high school in Marseille's 15th arrondissement, in the city's northern districts. According to the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion, a fire engine sent to put out a trash fire in front of the school was confronted by protesters, and a first-response vehicle at the scene was then set ablaze. One firefighter was lightly injured.
Video published by French media shows young people climbing into the vehicle to take equipment while others hurled projectiles at its windshield. Minutes later, the vehicle was set on fire. Le Figaro reported, citing the fire battalion and footage it obtained, that dozens of youths manning the blockade were involved.
Marseille saw multiple other incidents on Thursday. A city bus was hijacked and burned outside a high school in the northern districts, a bus driver was assaulted, and French media reported that the principal of a Marseille school was doused with gasoline.
Violence was also reported elsewhere in France. Nelson Mandela high school in Nantes was set on fire, a bus was attacked in La Rochelle, and youths fired fireworks mortars in Nice and Bordeaux. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened an interministerial crisis cell in response.
