The key facts
- In Lyon, the entrance to the Édouard Herriot lyceum was set on fire, with more than a thousand students inside; everyone was evacuated and no one was injured
- The fire started after garbage bins and electric scooters blocking the entrance were set alight
- In the commune of Vaulx-en-Velin, garbage bins were set on fire at the Frédéric Mistral lyceum; classes were canceled for the rest of the day and moved to a remote format at least until noon on November 7
Fire at the Édouard Herriot lyceum
In Lyon, France, participants of protest actions set fire to the entrance of the Édouard Herriot lyceum, where more than a thousand students were inside at the time. This was reported by Samuel Sullier, the mayor of Lyon's 6th arrondissement, in an interview with LCI. According to him, the fire started after protesters set fire to garbage bins and electric scooters with which they had blocked the entrance to the school. The flames spread to the door and facade of the building. Firefighters managed to put out the blaze, no one was injured, and all students were evacuated.
The arrondissement mayor's reaction
Sullier stated that the arson was deliberate and posed a threat to the lives of the people inside the lyceum. He was also outraged by the reaction of some onlookers who, according to him, rejoiced at the fire. 'The Herriot lyceum is burning with students inside, and some are celebrating.... I have no words to express my deep outrage! Thanks to the firefighters and law enforcement officers who arrived at the scene to ensure the safety of students and teachers,' the mayor wrote on his personal blog.
A similar incident in the commune of Vaulx-en-Velin
Another incident occurred in the commune of Vaulx-en-Velin. There, unknown individuals entered the grounds of the Frédéric Mistral lyceum and set fire to garbage bins and attempted to launch pyrotechnic devices. Students were evacuated, and classes were suspended for the rest of the day. Due to the incident, the learning process had to be moved to a remote format at least until noon on Saturday, November 7.
Political reaction
Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev commented on the arson of the lyceum in Lyon, recalling the comparison of Europe to a 'blooming garden.' According to Life.ru, he questioned how attractive such a garden looks against the backdrop of the unrest taking place in France. The politician's words were addressed to former head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, who in October 2022 compared Europe to a garden and the rest of the world to a jungle.
