Teen Arrested for Flamethrower Attack Amid French School Protests
A 15-year-old has been detained in France after allegedly using a makeshift flamethrower to burn a woman during widespread student protests over educational conditions.
French authorities have arrested a 15-year-old individual in connection with an incident where a woman was allegedly burned with a makeshift flamethrower during ongoing student protests. The attack, captured on video in Marseille, occurred as thousands of young people demonstrated over conditions in their schools.
The victim reportedly called for an end to vandalism before being pushed against a bus stop. A hooded suspect then approached and, using an aerosol can and a lighter, allegedly directed a burst of flame at her. The woman received medical attention for what were reported as first-degree burns. Police took the suspect into custody on Friday evening.
The incident is part of a week of unrest across France, marked by property damage and clashes between protesters and riot police. In Bordeaux, a firefighter was reportedly filmed catching fire while attempting to extinguish a protest-related blaze. Thousands of arrests have been made, with hundreds of educational institutions affected by the demonstrations.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described an "escalation of violence," noting that many of those arrested for public order offenses were between 15 and 18 years old. President Emmanuel Macron has attributed the unrest to extremist influences, stating that while he understands youth anxieties, violence is not a legitimate response.
The protests have been fueled, in part, by recent government budget cuts impacting schools and colleges. In response to blockades, French Education Minister Edouard Geffray suggested that classes be held remotely in affected schools.
Separately, the mayor of St. Denis, a suburb of Paris, Bally Bagayoko, is facing a complaint for alleged "incitement to commit a crime" after being filmed dancing with protesters outside a school. Images showed flames from a burning bin near the building's gates. Mr. Bagayoko, a member of the hard-Left party France Unbowed, has also been alleged to have made statements questioning the legitimacy of violence against police action. The Paris Police Prefecture has filed a complaint against him.