Éric Ciotti activates crisis center to manage high school blockades in Nice

Nice Mayor Éric Ciotti has activated the Urban Supervision Center to manage escalating tensions and blockades caused by high school mobilizations in the Alpes-Maritimes department. Following a period of intense unrest, 72 people were arrested in a single day for offenses including the use of projectiles, intentional fires, and weapons violations.

In response to the violence, 24 high schools in the region, including 10 in Nice, were closed on Friday, October 2, with students transitioning to remote learning. Ciotti criticized the presence of vandals and looters, stating that many participants are not actual students but individuals seeking to cause destruction.

Ciotti has also proposed financial sanctions against the families of those responsible for property damage. He suggested that parents should be held liable for repair costs and proposed that social benefits and public housing be revoked for those involved in such activities, arguing that taxpayers should not bear the cost of the destruction.