France Stun Grenades Suspended After Boy Loses Hand in Student Protests
France Suspends Stun Grenades at Student Protests
France has suspended the use of stun grenades during student protests after a 15-year-old boy lost his hand during clashes with riot police in the northern city of Lens.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the temporary suspension on Wednesday as pressure increased over the police response to demonstrations that have spread across the country.
Nuñez said the weapons would not be used in the high-school student movement until investigators establish what happened in Lens.
He said there was a strong possibility that a stun grenade fired during the police operation caused the teenager’s devastating injury. The minister also confirmed that 18 incidents involving police conduct had been referred to the police watchdog for investigation.
Teenager Loses Hand in Lens
The teenager was injured on Monday outside the Auguste-Béhal high school in Lens.
A grenade exploded during a confrontation between police and students, leaving the boy with his hand blown off.
There are conflicting accounts of how the injury happened.
Authorities have said the teenager picked up the grenade before it exploded. Students and witnesses have alleged that the device was fired directly at him by a police officer.
Investigators are now examining the circumstances surrounding the incident. The police oversight body, known as the IGPN, is investigating allegations of misconduct during the wider protests.
Protests Continue Across France
The suspension comes as student protests continue across France.
Students have been demonstrating against deteriorating school buildings, teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, heavy workloads and what they describe as inadequate education funding.
More than 500 schools were fully or partially closed on Wednesday, according to reports.
Hundreds of thousands of people joined demonstrations on Tuesday, with protests taking place in Paris and other French cities.
Government Faces Pressure
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is facing pressure to respond to the students’ demands while maintaining public order.
The government has promised to examine complaints about school buildings, staffing and other education problems.
The government has also condemned violence during the demonstrations. Officials say some protesters have thrown stones, fireworks and other objects at police officers.
Student groups, however, have accused authorities of using excessive force against young demonstrators.
The dispute over policing has become a major part of the wider protest movement.
Police Conduct Under Investigation
The Interior Ministry has opened multiple investigations into alleged police misconduct since the protests began.
Officials have also reported injuries among students, teachers and police officers.
The government says its priority is to protect students while allowing peaceful demonstrations to continue.
Rights groups and unions have called for greater restraint from security forces, particularly when dealing with teenagers.
Education Crisis Drives Demonstrations
The protests began over concerns about the condition of France’s public schools.
Students say many buildings need urgent repairs and that teacher shortages are affecting lessons.
They also point to declining educational performance. According to OECD data cited by Reuters, French 15-year-olds recorded one of the largest declines in reading and mathematics performance among OECD countries over the past decade.
The government now faces the challenge of addressing those concerns while dealing with increasingly disruptive demonstrations.
Investigation Into Boy’s Injury Continues
The suspension of stun grenades is an immediate response to the Lens incident, but questions remain about the precise circumstances of the teenager’s injury.
Investigators will examine evidence from the scene and accounts from police officers, students and witnesses.
For now, the French government says stun grenades will remain suspended in the high-school protest movement until the facts are clearer.
The boy’s injury has intensified scrutiny of police tactics and added urgency to calls for a resolution to France’s growing school protest crisis.
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