French student protests see arrests, school fire in several cities

Several incidents were reported at high schools in France on Friday amid student protests, including arrests in Pau, a fire at a school in Lyon and an attack on a principal in Nancy, local media reported.

At least two students were arrested inside Saint-John-Perse High School in Pau on Friday morning, following clashes a day earlier in which several police officers were injured by mortar fire.

The prefecture of Pyrenees-Atlantiques separately reported four arrests in Pau and seven across the department, as well as seven police officers injured during law enforcement operations.

In Lyon, rubbish bins and electric scooters were set alight at the entrance of Edouard-Herriot High School, damaging the building's entrance and facade. Students were evacuated and no injuries were reported.

In Nancy, a high school principal was attacked outside the establishment by a person carrying a fire extinguisher.

Student mobilizations have spread across France in recent weeks, with demonstrators blocking schools and raising concerns over education conditions and resources.

The protests formed part of a broader national day of action on Nov. 5, during which the Interior Ministry recorded 575,000 participants at 193 public gatherings nationwide, including 65,000 in Paris.