The mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko, has faced accusations of lighting a trash fire in front of a high school that was blocked during student protests. The claims are based on a short video that went viral online, showing the official moving away from an ignited trash can while being applauded by students. The footage, captured near the Bartholdi high school in Saint-Denis, sparked debate about his involvement in the situation. Longer versions of the video, released by Libération and L'Humanité on Tuesday, show Bally Bagayoko picking up the trash can and moving it away from the school's fence. The mayor denied lighting the fire and called the accusations "lies." He stated he had gone to the high school to "support the mobilization" following the release of the videos, which led to conflicting interpretations of his actions during the student movement. When questioned about tensions at some schools, Bally Bagayoko provided context, mentioning the use of Flash-Ball by police—non-lethal devices used to disperse crowds. He said, "Violence can be legitimate, but every time it can be avoided, it is better." In the viral video, the mayor is seen moving away from the trash can, being pulled by students, and joining a crowd that cheers and dances with him. This sequence led to conflicting opinions online, with some accusing him of participating in the disturbances or even lighting the fire, while others claimed he was trying to prevent damage to the school gates. Despite the mayor's denials, social media platforms saw an increase in racist comments directed at Bally Bagayoko and the students on strike. On Tuesday, when questioned by BFMTV about the students' actions, the mayor reiterated his stance, saying, "Violence, at a certain moment, can be legitimate," but added, "Every time it can be avoided, it is better." Later, BFMTV reported that it had filed a complaint after an attack on one of its teams during a student demonstration and criticized Bally Bagayoko for seemingly approving such "brutality." A video from the radical left-wing web TV Le Média showed a BFMTV team being mistreated by students in Saint-Denis and excluded from their protest. A student justified the action by saying, "We don't want racist media," a sentiment Bally Bagayoko echoed on X.