Paris (AFP)

Secretary of State for the Interior Laurent Nuñez said Wednesday "understand the legitimate emotion" after the immolation of a student in Lyon but "condemns the violence" which targeted in particular a building of the Ministry of Higher Education in Paris.

"I condemn the violence of the night, one can understand the legitimate emotion (...) One can understand that there are demonstrations in front of the Crous, but the death threats against the leaders of Crous, the physical degradations, the impediment of the former President of the Republic, François Hollande to hold a conference, are facts that are totally unacceptable, "said Nuñez on France Inter.

"The University is a place of free expression and therefore I strongly condemn this violence," added the Secretary of State.

The Minister of Higher Education "Frédérique Vidal has ensured that this academic year is at the lowest possible cost," he added.

Asked about the risk of convergences of the mobilizations, between that of the students, the prospect of a large-scale movement against the pension reform and the "yellow vests", the Secretary of State posted his "serenity".

"We are watching the situation extremely calmly without any particular fear," he said.

"The claim must be expressed legitimately, it can not go through violence or blockages that paralyze the economy of the country," he said.

Several rallies of hundreds of angry students, called by the union Solidaire, took place Tuesday in several cities in France, including Lyon where a student of 22 years was immolated Friday in front of a university restaurant, and is always between life and death.

In financial difficulty - he had lost his scholarship "tripled" his second year at the University of Lyon 2 - the young man explained his gesture in a message read Tuesday: "Today I will commit the irreparable, if I am aiming for the building of Crous it is not by chance, I aim a political place.

In Paris, the entrance gate of the Ministry of Higher Education was ripped off Tuesday night by protesters, on the sidelines of a student rally that took place in the quiet in front of the Crous.

In Lille, former president François Hollande was prevented from giving a conference at the university by demonstrators denouncing student precariousness.

© 2019 AFP