Paris School Targeted in Arson Attack Amid French Student Protests: 100 Students Confined as Fires Set at Entrance

On October 5, 2026, masked attackers set fires and barricaded the entrance to the Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin vocational high school in Paris's 13th arrondissement, confining approximately 100 students and staff inside for about two hours. Principal Carole Zerbib described the group of about 10 individuals in hoods, masks, and black clothing as 'very determined' and organized, throwing flammable materials, a sofa, and bicycles to block the door, smashing windows with crutches, and using a flammable liquid to ignite fires. A staff member was injured by glass shards. Firefighters and police faced mortar fire upon arrival, and courses were canceled. Zerbib noted warnings from social media calls to burn the school and emphasized the attackers were not students. Junior Interior Minister Jean-Didier Berger condemned the acts as criminal and called for harsh repression. The incident occurred amid ongoing nationwide student protests over school conditions, with reports of thousands arrested and hundreds injured across France. Similar unrest affected other schools, including earlier incidents in Rouen. Broader context reveals patterns of violence targeting educational institutions during the mobilization, raising concerns about safety protocols in schools amid political unrest. Credible reporting from multiple outlets confirms the details, distinguishing this from exaggerated claims in some coverage.