Tensions continued on Wednesday, September 30 around several high schools in Nice. Stone throwing, mortar fire and tear gas were notably reported at Magnan and Parc Impérial. The prefecture reports 40 arrests in the Alpes-Maritimes since the start of the incidents.
Another tense day around Nice high schools. On Wednesday, September 30, while the number of demonstrations was less significant than the day before, several establishments were affected by gatherings and confrontations with law enforcement. At Magnan, on Rue de France, high school students faced riot police between the Magnan and CUM tram stops.
The situation also became tense on the Promenade des Anglais. High school students from Magnan headed towards the city center through the pedestrian area. Along their route, several police vehicles parked in front of the Avia gas station were pelted with pebbles collected from the beach.
The riot police intervened from the west of the Promenade des Anglais. Tear gas fire allowed them to push back the protesters. Around 9:40 a.m., a group of high school students was still in front of the La Vela restaurant.
Tensions also at Palmiers and Parc Impérial
At the same time, incidents broke out around the Les Palmiers vocational high school, Avenue Banco, on the heights of Nice. Neighbors had moved trash bins from nearby residences to prevent fires. A confrontation nearly erupted when young people attempted to retrieve these containers.
These new incidents come after several days of mobilization around high schools in the Alpes-Maritimes. The prefecture reports 40 arrests, including 20 minors, and 32 people placed in custody. Four police officers were injured, notably from mortar fire.
In the azure city, Éric Ciotti for his part reports 24 arrests. At the Alpes-Maritimes level, the mayor reports 39 arrests and 31 people placed in custody. The two figures do not therefore match exactly, as communications were issued in the context of event monitoring.
In response to these tensions, the Prefect of Alpes-Maritimes Jean-Marie Girier announced a strengthening of the operation for Thursday, October 1. The latter clarifies that « Whatever the claims, nothing justifies violence. Demonstrations around high schools have changed character: vandals have taken the place of high school students. Faced with these unacceptable acts of violence, the law and order operation will be reinforced with riot police. » Prohibition measures notably concern the possession, transport and use of explosive products, combustible or corrosive materials, firecrackers and mortars. Additional police reinforcements are also to be deployed around the affected establishments. The prefect continues by calling on parents to « remind their children not to join the vandals, in order to spare them the serious legal and disciplinary consequences to which they are exposed. »
In Nice, Éric Ciotti is calling for the operation to be further reinforced around Parc Impérial. The mayor is also urging high school students not to participate in blockades and violence.
The mayor furthermore blames La France insoumise, to which he attributes political responsibility for the escalation of tensions. « High school students must not become puppets of insubmissive leaders who seek to establish disorder and chaos in the country, declared Éric Ciotti. The freedom to protest will never be confused with the right to block an establishment, damage property or attack law enforcement. »
Tomorrow, the movement should continue, hoping for a calm by the end of the week.
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