Police in France seek protester who attacked woman with flamethrower

Police in France are searching for a masked protester who burned a woman's face with a makeshift flamethrower during demonstrations in Marseille.

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Police in France seek protester who attacked woman with flamethrower

Get you up to speed: Shocking moment woman is attacked with makeshift flamethrower during France riots | News World

Police in France are searching for a masked protester who burned a woman’s face with a makeshift flamethrower during protests in Marseille. The incident occurred near Place du 4 Septembre as demonstrations intensified, and the victim has reportedly filed a complaint.

The woman who sustained first-degree burns has filed a complaint with local authorities, and police are actively seeking witnesses to the incident. Protests, which began in late September, have led to increased tensions, with demonstrations escalating into vandalism and clashes in multiple cities across France.

Police have launched a search for the masked protester who attacked a woman with a makeshift flamethrower during ongoing student protests in Marseille. The woman has filed a complaint and is urging witnesses to come forward, as demonstrations continue to escalate across France, with calls for improvements in the education system persisting.

What remains unclear — It is unknown whether police have identified or apprehended the individual responsible for the attack on the woman.

Police in France seek protester who attacked woman with flamethrower

Police in France are searching for a masked protester who burned a woman’s face with a makeshift flamethrower.

Protests began in the Paris region in late September before spreading to cities across France.

Students are demanding more teachers, better-funded schools and action on overcrowded classes and run-down facilities, as well as long timetables and pressure surrounding the university admissions system Parcoursup.

Shocking footage showed the woman engaged in a tug-of-war with masked protesters wielding a barrier, before a hooded individual clad from head to toe in black pressed the nozzle of an aerosol spray in front of a lighter, creating a makeshift flamethrower.

He directed it at the woman’s face from close range as onlookers screamed. He walked away shortly after.

A screen grab of the woman being attacked by a flamethrower.
Onlookers filmed the incident yesterday (Picture: Viral Press)

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The incident was filmed near Place du 4 Septembre in Marseille, France, yesterday as protests intensified.

The woman who was attacked reportedly filed a complaint in Marseille earlier today, and her friends have called for witnesses to come forward.

A statement read: ‘This morning, we were waiting for the bus when, all of a sudden, among the high-school students, some stupid girls took the metal barrier and started trying to smash up the bus shelter.

‘My friend tried to stop them, blocking them and talking to them. She was violently attacked, and one of them burned the left side of her face by spraying her with a spray and using a lighter.

A person throws objects into a fire as protesting students carry out blockading action, in Brest, western France, on October 2, 2026. Since late September, students have staged protests outside schools over grievances ranging from timetables, class sizes and a shortage of teachers to overheated classrooms during this year's heatwaves. The protests started in the Ile-de-France region around Paris but have now spread to other cities nationwide. (Photo by FRED TANNEAU / AFP via Getty Images)
The protests about schools have descended into chaos (Picture: AFP)

‘Fortunately, there were no serious burns (first-degree burns). The firefighters and gendarmes intervened. Anyone who witnessed what happened, please contact me privately.

The statement added: ‘Especially the woman wearing the black vest – she was the only person who intervened before they fled. I hope the CCTV camera was working.’

The movement is largely made up of secondary school pupils aged 15 to 18, with university students now joining in some areas.

While most of the demands centre on education, some demonstrations have descended into clashes, vandalism and fires.

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