Two teachers were shot by a 14-year-old school student in the south of France today.

The attack took place this morning in Aubagne, close to Marseille, at Joseph-Lakanal middle school.

The 53-year-old head teacher was shot in the right hip with a hunting rifle, and a 37-year-old teacher was shot in the thigh as a bullet ricocheted.

Both were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police have detained a 14-year-old accused of entering the school with the rifle hidden in a guitar case, according to BFM TV.

A source said: ‘A 14-year-old teenager has been detained on suspicion of firing the shots. Emergency workers are at the scene. The injured principal and teacher have received medical attention, and their lives are not in danger.’

Édouard Geffray, France’s education minister, confirmed the attack on X, posting: ‘Two staff members from the National Education system, a principal and a teacher, were victims this morning of gunshot wounds at Lakanal middle school in Aubagne.

‘A student is said to be the perpetrator. I am heading to the scene immediately with the Interior Minister, Laurent Nunez.

‘In the face of this new attack, the National Education system will, as always, remain united and strong, around an educational community sorely tried.

‘But this unacceptable act bears witness once again to the spread of unbridled violence in our society, against which we must all mobilise. In words as in deeds.’

There is no immediate indication that the attacks are linked to the violent protests which have gripped French high schools for the past several weeks over education funding.

One of the demonstrations in Lens saw a 15-year-old schoolboy lose his left hand when a police grenade exploded during the youth riots.

But Eddy Sid, spokesperson for the SGP-FO police union, said there had been no blockades at Joseph-Lakanal.

Protestors are fighting for at least £9,000,000,000 to be put into the education system to combat dilapidated classrooms and teacher shortages.

A graphic video posted online last week showed the aftermath of the accident near the Béhale high school in Lens, in the north of the country.

There have been almost 7000 arrests linked to the trouble as buildings housing lycées – schools for 15 to 18-year-olds – are torched.

Student unions have called for another national day of demonstrations on Tuesday, and it could be joined by other worker groups.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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