Protesters set fire to bins near a lycee in Lyon, flames engulf facade

Evacuation of students during fire

In the French city of Lyon, the main doors and facade of the Edouard Herriot lycee caught fire during protests. At the time the fire broke out, students were inside the building, so the educational institution's administration immediately began evacuation. There were no casualties.

The incident is reported by the publication Le Progrès.

Circumstances of the fire

According to available information, protesters initially set fire to waste bins and electric scooters near the educational institution. The fire quickly spread to the main entrance and the building's facade. Fire crews extinguished the blaze.

Reaction of local authorities

Samuel Sulier, the mayor of Lyon's 6th arrondissement, confirmed the incident and expressed outrage that the building was on fire while children were inside.

Similar cases were recorded near other educational institutions in the region. According to local media, on the morning of 6 November, unrest affected at least 16 lycees and two colleges in the Rhone department.

Medvedev's comment

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, reacted to the incident. He stated:

«У Ліоні підпалили школу з людьми всередині. А Боррель називав Європу квітучим садом. Хотіли б відвідати такий сад?» (In Lyon, they set fire to a school with people inside. And Borrell called Europe a blooming garden. Would you like to visit such a garden?)

Context of protests in France

The fire occurred against the backdrop of large-scale protests in France. According to the Ministry of the Interior, approximately 575,000 people participated in the actions on 5 November, with 193 public events taking place. Meanwhile, the CGT trade union provides a significantly higher estimate — approximately 1.6 million participants.

Following the protest day, the French Ministry of the Interior reported 448 arrests, 53 injured law enforcement officers, and 86 fire department deployments. Most mass marches passed peacefully, but clashes and instances of property damage occurred in some cities.