French student protesters started fires at two schools, while teachers were inadvertently splashed with petrol at a third, officials have said.
The demonstrations over staff shortages and deteriorating school buildings grew increasingly violent on Thursday.
At Marseille's Victor Hugo high school, teachers were inadvertently splashed when a student attempted to throw petrol into a rubbish bin, local authorities said. The prosecutor's office had initially said teachers were assaulted and “doused in petrol”.
At another Marseille school, Saint-Exupery high school, hundreds of young people surrounded a fire truck responding to a blaze, police said. The group forced firefighters to leave the vehicle before setting it alight.
Another fire broke out at Nelson Mandela high school in the western city of Nantes, where no injuries were reported. The building was evacuated and students arriving for classes were turned away.
Government holds crisis meeting
The protests and school blockades, which began last week, have become a political flashpoint as the government unveiled unpopular spending cuts in its 2027 budget on Thursday.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's office held a crisis meeting on the protests, which officials said have left dozens injured and led to hundreds of arrests, most involving teenagers.
In the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, crowds gathered in front of police lines, with one student holding a sign reading: “Can we explain ourselves without being tear-gassed?”
Students have accused police of using heavy-handed tactics, including tear gas. The government has condemned violence during some protests while acknowledging concerns over conditions in high schools.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said troublemakers were moving between schools to incite violence.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray said he would meet staff unions, parent groups and student associations on Friday. He also called on schools to switch to remote classes if protesters blocked access.
“Violence will not keep our students from their fundamental right to an education,” Geffray said on X.
