France has halted the deployment of stun grenades in policing student protests after a 15‑year‑old boy’s hand was blown off in Lens earlier this week.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced a pause while the details of Monday’s incident are clarified, citing conflicting reports from the police and the protesters.
The tragedy has intensified criticism of police overuse of force against teenagers. More than 500 schools were closed or blocked, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to address the crisis in a televised appeal.
Hundreds of thousands marched on Tuesday demanding better school conditions, and tear gas and water cannon were used in several cities. Authorities recorded 488 arrests and injuries to 43 security personnel.
Nuñez confirmed that the Independent Office for the Protection of French Citizens (IGPN) opened 18 investigations to assess whether officers acted proportionally during the demonstrations.
The 15‑year‑old, who was reportedly injured after picking up a grenade that detonated near the Auguste Béhal high school, claims he was struck directly by a police weapon. Local students argue he was assaulted by a police officer once the crowd entered the area.
Although stun grenades are classified as non‑lethal, they release rubber pellets that can cause serious injury. Officers say they are now on hold until the case is fully examined.
A 14‑year‑old in a north‑western suburb was hit with a tear gas grenade last week, resulting in missing teeth and a fractured jaw; an officer has been charged.
Lawyers for a 17‑year‑old protester in Belfort claim he was held underwater by an officer during an arrest near a river, prompting an attempted‑murder inquiry.
The government estimates that between 215 students, 85 staff and 715 police have been injured since protests began, and over 6,500 people have been arrested.
President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting with Lecornu and other ministers to find solutions to the crisis, as fewer than a quarter of France’s lycées remained open for the day. Student unions report more than 250,000 participants, with some claiming up to 450,000, and a fourth round of protests is planned for Thursday in Paris and beyond.
