France halts use of stun grenades after boy’s hand blown off in student protests

On Monday, a 15-year-old boy in Lens, France suffered a severe hand injury when a stun grenade exploded, allegedly in unclear circumstances near Auguste Béhal high school. The incident prompted Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to suspend the use of stun grenades while the facts were clarified. The boy's hand was either picked up and subsequently exploded or directly hit by an officer, according to conflicting accounts.

The suspension came after over 500 schools were affected by the protests, with 24 schools reportedly set alight or severely vandalized, impacting 30,000 pupils. Police used tear gas and water cannons, leading to the arrest of 488 individuals. Education Minister Édouard Geffray revealed that 24 schools were damaged, and 30,000 students faced disruptions.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was scheduled to address the school protests in an evening speech. The Interior Ministry launched 18 investigations into the use of force during the demonstrations, which have expanded to include parents, university students, and unions. Nuñez confirmed the government's commitment to protecting high school students and emphasized judicial investigations when force appears disproportionate.

Meanwhile, concerns arose over the use of tear gas grenades, as a 14-year-old boy suffered multiple injuries from one last week. Additionally, a 16-year-old sustained a serious hand injury while handling a mortar firework outside a school in Strasbourg, and a 17-year-old student was charged with attempted murder after alleging an officer held his head underwater during an arrest.

The Prime Minister accused the radical-left France Unbowed party of attempting to "sow chaos" ahead of upcoming elections.