Teenager Loses Hand During French School Protests After Police Grenade Explodes
A 15-year-old student lost his hand during clashes between school protesters and police in northern France on Monday, October 5, as nationwide demonstrations over education conditions entered their third week.
The teenager was seriously injured near the Auguste Béhal vocational high school in Lens, in the Pas-de-Calais region. French authorities said an investigation has been opened to establish exactly how the injury happened.
According to initial reports, the student picked up a police stun grenade that had been used during the confrontation. The device then exploded in his hand.
Teenager Injured in Lens
Hundreds of students had gathered near the school when tensions increased between protesters and police.
Authorities said some protesters were throwing objects at officers. Police were deployed to control the situation as the demonstration continued.
The teenager was reportedly injured at about 10:30 a.m. Emergency workers treated him at the scene before he was taken to hospital in Lille.
The prosecutor in Béthune said the teenager’s life was not in danger. However, the injury resulted in the loss of his hand.
A judicial investigation has been opened into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The investigation has been handed to France’s national police inspectorate, known as the IGPN.
Investigation Into Police Grenade
Investigators are examining the sequence of events that led to the teenager being injured.
Initial findings reported by French media indicate that the student may have picked up a grenade used by riot police. The device exploded shortly afterward.
Officials have not yet released a final account of exactly how the grenade came to be in the teenager’s hands.
The investigation is therefore expected to examine police actions, the type of device used and the circumstances surrounding its deployment.
The incident has already intensified concerns about police tactics during the nationwide school protests.
Protests Spread Across France
The incident happened as high school protests continued across France.
Students began demonstrating in September over concerns about staff shortages, overcrowded classrooms, long school hours and poor school facilities.
The movement has since spread to hundreds of schools across the country.
The French education ministry said more than 400 schools were affected by demonstrations or disruptions on Monday. Earlier in the protests, hundreds of schools had been closed or partially closed because of blockades and damage.
Students have demanded better learning conditions and more resources for schools.
However, some demonstrations have also involved violence, vandalism and clashes with police.
Tensions Between Students and Police
Monday’s incident came days after another teenager suffered a serious eye injury during protests in Tours.
The family of the 16-year-old has filed a complaint after medical examinations found that his injuries were compatible with the impact of a police rubber bullet.
That case is also being investigated by the IGPN.
Rights groups have accused police of using excessive force against young protesters. They have raised concerns about the use of tear gas, batons and other crowd-control weapons.
French officials, however, have stressed that police are responding to increasingly violent incidents during some demonstrations.
Government Calls for Calm
Pas-de-Calais prefect François-Xavier Lauch expressed sympathy for the injured teenager and his family.
He called for calm and said the right to protest must be respected while also stressing the need for demonstrations to remain peaceful.
The French government has said it recognises the students’ concerns about education while insisting that violence and attacks on schools cannot continue.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray said dozens of teachers have also been injured during the unrest.
National Protest Planned
The latest injury comes ahead of another major day of demonstrations planned across France.
Student groups and trade unions are expected to join protests on Tuesday as pressure grows on the government to respond to demands for better schools.
The demonstrations have become a major political issue for Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s government.
Officials are now facing pressure to address both the students’ complaints and concerns about violence during the protests.
For the 15-year-old injured in Lens, the immediate focus remains his recovery.
The investigation will now determine the circumstances surrounding the grenade explosion and whether any wrongdoing occurred. The findings could also influence the wider debate over police tactics during France’s continuing school protests.
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