Chaos in France as masked rioters torch schools and douse teachers in petrol after left-wing mayor told protesters 'violence can be legitimate'

France has erupted in chaos as masked rioters torched schools, beat up teachers, doused them in petrol, and fought police. Young thugs across the country have unleashed disorder this week, after largely peaceful protests against the state of education in France quickly became aggressive and violent. Demonstrations began last Monday, when students and teaching staff alike took to French towns and cities to demand the replacement of absent teachers, increased educational resources, school renovations and 'decent' learning conditions. But since Tuesday, countless acts of violence have been committed by violent hooligans. The violence erupted further this week after the left-wing mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko, told protesters on Tuesday 'violence can be legitimate' in remarks that sparked fury in France. In Marseille, staff at the Victor Hugo High School were splashed with petrol as the school was targeted by an arson attempt.Following the incident, all members of staff took refuge inside the building for their safety. Over in Nantes, the entrance hall of Nelson Mandela High School was destroyed by a fire this morning. The school's deputy head Gaëlle Cordier said this was an act of 'arson.' The entrance hall of Nelson Mandela high school (pictured) was consumed by flames today Highschool students gesture with a fire going on in the background as highschool students take part in a demonstration near the Lycee Deodat highschool, in Toulouse south-western France, on October 1, 2026Footage from the school showed all storeys of the entrance hall alight, as people stood around and watched. Another clip, captured from further away, showed smoke rising out of the building. Elsewhere in Marseille, a firefighter was injured after rioters set a fire engine alight near the Saint-Exupéry high school this morning. A video of the incident showed black-clad young men battering the emergency vehicle with metal objects, before cheering as a fire quickly began consuming it. The mayor of the city, Benoît Payan, today called for calm. He wrote on social media: 'Our youth is legitimately concerned about its future and that of the public service. It must be able to express itself in a calm framework. 'Today, our city is the scene of unacceptable violence, fires, and assaults suffered by teachers, firefighters, journalists, and Marseillais, which no cause can justify. 'I call for calm from each and every one, and for finding the path to a democratic expression of grievances. The left-wing mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko (pictured), told protesters on Tuesday 'violence can be legitimate' Protesting students throw items onto burning trash bins, as part of ongoing student blockading action calling for the hiring of substitute teachers, increased resources, and decent learning conditions in Lille, northern France, on October 1, 202 A protester kicks tear gas canister amid clashes with French riot police during a protest by high school and university students near Lycee Paul Eluard high school in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, on October 1, 2026 Trash bins are set on fire in front of the Lycee des Menuts secondary school during a student protest in Bordeaux, south-western France, on October 1, 2026'Marseille stands alongside those who defend the public service and the future of our youth, not alongside those who destroy, set fires, and commit violence.' Speaking in Madrid yesterday, President Emmanuel Macron slammed hard-left politicians he accused of 'legitimising violence' in the French school protests.Mr Macron has since called a crisis meeting in Paris to deal with the continually growing violence. French media reported that all ministerial trips have been cancelled until the beginning of next week, in light of the heightened security situation.Interior minister Laurent Nuñez slammed the 'targeting of law enforcement officers, the throwing of projectiles, acts of violence, verbal abuse, attempted arson, and what amounts... to urban violence'. Education minister Édouard Geffray today called for classes to be held remotely at schools where blockades are taking place. He described the violent scenes this morning as 'extremely serious', calling for 'those who commit this violence to be prosecuted and punished' and adding: 'It goes far beyond the issue of schools alone. No demand can justify such acts.'In Pas-de-Calais, the headteacher of the Fernand Degrugillier vocational high school in Auchel was injured by a 'mortar' firework this morning. A student kicks a trash bin on fire as students carry out a blockading protest at the Louis Pasteur middle school, in Strasbourg eastern France, on October 1, 2026 Students burn garbage as they protest to demand more resources, in Lille, France, Thursday, October 1, 2026 French national police in anti-riot gear detain a protester as students carry out a blocking protest at the Cesar Baggio secondary school during a day of nationwide public sector strikes and demonstrations, in Lille, on September 29, 2026The man, in his fifties, was hit in the ear and taken to hospital, officials said. Regional authorities said that 37 have been arrested since this morning. In Bordeaux, dramatic footage taken on Rue Sainte-Catherine in Bordeaux, one of Europe's longest shopping streets, showed teenage protesters lighting cans of aerosol on fire in a pile. After a few seconds, the pile exploded and the gathered crowd of thugs cheered. At the Claude Fauriel high school in Saint-Étienne, countless young men in hoodies were seen running through the campus. Several cities have said that their public transport systems have come to a complete standstill. Marseille officials announced it will stop bus, tram and metro services following a targeted attack against a bus driver near high schools in the north and east of the city. Meanwhile, Strasbourg has suspended its tram services 'in order to limit the movement of vandals and protesters'.Grenoble officials said they were shutting off the city's bus and tram services due to the 'high school student movement'. In Marseille, a firefighter was injured after rioters set a fire engine alight near the Saint-Exupéry high school this morning A student displays a placard which reads 'Gen Z is Angry' near burning trash bins, as part of ongoing student blockading action calling for the hiring of substitute teachers, increased resources, and decent learning conditions in Lille, northern France, on October 1, 2026 At the Claude Fauriel high school in Saint-Étienne, countless young men in hoodies were seen running through the campus Bins were set alight by rioting young people across FranceThe left-wing mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko, said early this morning that he stood by his Tuesday remarks as 'they are the correct words of a mayor who does not wish to engage in a logic of escalating violence'.The Paris Police Prefect has since filed a complaint against Mr Bagayoko for 'incitement to commit a crime'.Yesterday evening, French security services said they had arrested over 600 people during the national riots. Eighty-three police officers and gendarmes were wounded on Wednesday during the protests, which affected a total of 356 schools, he added.