France student riots escalate: school torched, teacher attacked, mass arrests

Student protests over education funding in France have turned violent, with the Nelson Mandela school in Marseille set ablaze, fuel poured on teachers, and a firefighter reportedly injured. Clashes spread to multiple cities, halting transit and leading to hundreds of arrests. The government blames far-left leader Mélenchon, who frames the unrest as a response to 'racial oppression'—a politically charged escalation that may deepen domestic instability.