Andorra French School Bans Students After Series of Student Brawls

The Lycée français d'Andorre, known as Lycée Comte de Foix, has banned entry to students allegedly involved in a Wednesday brawl inside the school premises as a precautionary measure while family meetings proceed and facts are clarified. Police have boosted patrols around the entrances and exits since Monday, following the school's request to prevent further clashes at dismissal times.

The incidents last week involved sixième pupils, the first year of collège. On Wednesday, during school hours, a fight erupted indoors between two identified groups amid an ongoing conflict. The administration suspended those involved temporarily and rescheduled family meetings for this week after Friday proved impossible. A separate altercation occurred Thursday evening outside the school, where several sixième students punched and kicked one peer while restraining and threatening his friend; two 13-year-old quatrième pupils also took part. One victim received emergency treatment for minor injuries, and families of both victims filed police complaints, including a medical report and social media video of the assault. Those linked to the outdoor incident have continued classes pending meetings.

One victim has received fresh threats and now has a personal escort this week. Director Olivier Salvan outlined these steps in a letter to secondary parents, calling the events "extremely serious" and confirming the school's immediate response Thursday and Friday mornings. He pledged cooperation with police and the Batllia. Staff remain committed to prevention, urging students to report issues to adults rather than intervening. "Our absolute priority remains the safety and well-being of all students," Salvan wrote, adding he is available for talks but focused on resolution over individual meetings.

Parents, via their association, have called for more internal security staff to manage rising tensions, citing the brawls and a separate Friday incident where a substitute History and Geography teacher for a sixième class arrived impaired by alcohol. Students alerted supervisors; nursing staff summoned an ambulance, which took her to emergency services. She resigned Monday, leaving the class without a teacher. Some alleged aggressors have reportedly filed counter-complaints, accusing the victim of bullying others over race or weight. The school, with about 1,200 students from collège to batxillerat and vocational programs, continues addressing concerns amid these developments.