French police have arrested a 15-year-old boy who was filmed in a gruesome video shooting a woman in the face during a protest in Marseille, France.
The shocking footage shows the boy, whose face was covered by a mask, throwing fire at a woman standing outside a bus stop, using a makeshift flamethrower which appears to be made from an aerosol can and a lighter.
The victim suffered first-degree burns to the face, according to Le Parisien. She received medical treatment on scene.
The attack occurred Friday amid nationwide student protests demanding better school conditions.
Young protesters complain about poor facilities, overheating classrooms and excessive staff absences.
Education Minister Édoud Geffray called the movement “legitimate at the start” but said it was now “held hostage by ultra-left groups.”
Protests intensified and high school students set fires in front of schools across France.
More than 5,000 people have been arrested since the protests began, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told French television channel TF1. The majority of those arrested are minors attending high school.
“For a week, indescribable violence has hit our schools. High schools are attacked, buildings are vandalized, sometimes set on fire, and staff are targeted,” Geffray said in a post on X.
“The initial demands were for a better public education service. Those who commit these acts want to destroy it.”
The Ministry of National Education announced that at least 400 high schools out of 3,700 in the country will be totally or partially closed on Monday in response to the demonstrations.
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