15-Year-Old Arrested for Flame-Thrower Attack Amid French Student Riots

French police have arrested a 15-year-old who allegedly used a makeshift flame-thrower to burn a woman's face during ongoing student riots across the country. The attack, captured on video, occurred in Marseille as thousands of young people protested poor school conditions.

The unnamed pupil faces potential charges including "intentional violence" aggravated by the use of a weapon, concealment of identity, and gang participation, according to a source.

The footage shows the victim being pushed against a bus stop after she called for an end to vandalism. As she recovers, a hooded individual approaches and ignites an aerosol can, directing a burst of flame at her face. She received on-site medical treatment for first-degree burns, as reported by Le Parisien.

The suspect was apprehended and taken into police custody on Friday evening, a police spokesman confirmed. In a separate incident in Bordeaux, a firefighter was filmed catching fire while attempting to extinguish a protest-related blaze.

These events are the latest in a week of unrest that has seen public property, including schools and bus stops, set ablaze and teachers allegedly doused in gasoline. Videos circulating online depict riot police using tear gas and batons in response to the demonstrations.

Nearly 4,000 arrests were made on Thursday and Friday alone, with at least 500 colleges affected by the uprising. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez denounced the "escalation of violence," noting that most of those arrested for public order offenses were between 15 and 18 years old.

President Emmanuel Macron has suggested that extremists are fueling the unrest. Speaking in Madrid, he acknowledged "the anxieties and anger that our youth can feel" but stated that "none of these fears legitimise violence."

Benoit Payan, the leftist mayor of Marseille, expressed that young people are "legitimately concerned about its future and that of the public service" and must be able to "express itself in a calm framework." He called for calm.

French Education Minister Edouard Geffray recommended that classes be held remotely at schools experiencing blockades. The Macron administration recently announced significant spending cuts in its 2027 budget, including reduced funding for schools and colleges.

In a related controversy, Bally Bagayoko, the mayor of the Paris suburb of St. Denis, has faced accusations of supporting rioters after being filmed dancing with protesters outside a blocked school. Footage showed flames from a burning bin near the school's gates while Bagayoko was present. The Paris Police Prefecture has filed a complaint against him for "incitement to commit a crime."