In Montpellier, a southern French city, two high schools—the Pierre Mendès France Lycée and the Jean Mermoz Lycée—were targeted by deliberate acts of arson on Thursday. The academic rectorate of the Montpellier academy confirmed that both institutions had been subjected to intentional fires, though the full extent of the damages is still being assessed. Police forces responded to the scenes, securing the affected spaces, but no mass evacuations were necessary. [1]
According to a spokesperson for the Hérault police, two separate fire outbreaks were ignited at the Jean Mermoz Lycée using portable trash containers. One container was placed inside a classroom, and another in the restrooms. While investigators have not yet confirmed the identity of those responsible, there is currently no established link between these specific incidents and the broader student strike movement affecting schools across the country. [1]
The incident at Jean Mermoz follows a pattern of escalating violence directed at school leadership in the region. Earlier in the week, the rectorate condemned threats and intimidation attempts against the principal of another Montpellier high school, the Jean Monnet Lycée. The principal of Jean Monnet received death threats via social media from multiple individuals and suffered a suspected intrusion attempt at his residence or school early Thursday morning. Carole Drucker-Godard, the rector of the Montpellier academy, filed a formal report under Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, transferring the case to the public prosecutor. [1]
These localized events underscore a nationwide crisis affecting educational institutions. Since the onset of the current strike wave, eight school administrators in the Montpellier academy alone have fallen victim to physical attacks, verbal abuse, or death threats. This mirrors reports from other parts of France, where the SNPDEN-Unsa union has described unprecedented levels of aggression, including arson attacks on newly built facilities in Nantes and widespread psychological distress forcing principals to take sick leave or seek transfer. [1]
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