Protests by high school students in France have turned increasingly violent, with reports of vandals breaking into schools and causing significant damage. In Lyon, one school was described by a staff member as "an inferno" after vandals set fires and attacked the building. The movement began on September 17 and has spread across the country, with 735 schools affected on Friday, a 30% drop from the previous day. According to the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, there were 1,747 arrests on Friday alone, bringing the total since Monday to over 5,000. These arrests are linked to school blockades and other disruptions. Forty school principals and several police officers, gendarmes, and firefighters have been injured during the unrest. Regional authorities in Île-de-France, Grand Est, Hauts-de-France, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes estimate that damage to schools—especially at entrances—could cost millions of euros. The Minister of Education reported that more than 100 schools have suffered severe damage since the protests began. According to the police prefecture, the nature of the protests has shifted from social demonstrations to urban violence, involving incendiary devices, Molotov cocktails, and barricades used against law enforcement and school staff. Laurence, a territorial agent at a high school in Lyon, described the events of Thursday to RMC, a French radio station. She said that only a few students were present at the school as classes had been moved. Around 10:30 AM, a group of vandals arrived, some distributing "revolutionary" leaflets. Laurence spotted a lookout and took a photo of him, though it was not clear. A group of 30 or more people then arrived, throwing Molotov cocktails, setting fires on the pavement and near bins, and breaking windows in the school's cafeteria. They attacked the entrance gates, knocking down two and entering the school. The staff had to activate the intrusion alarm and take shelter, hearing the explosions and fearing for their safety. Some staff members were crying, praying, and discreetly contacting their loved ones. Laurence said she did not sleep all night and described the experience as "an inferno." While Laurence did not report any injuries to school staff, she expressed anger, stating that France is "burning" and that the Republic is being attacked. Many students condemn the violence, but school principals argue that it is a group effect. Louis Letoublon, vice-president of the organization Les Lycéens!, criticized the "unacceptable violence" that "overshadows" the students' demands. Agnès Andersen, general secretary of the ID-FO union for school principals, noted that while some individuals outside the student body participate in the violence, group dynamics can also lead students to engage in acts they might not have otherwise committed.