France suspends use of stun grenades against protesters

France has halted the deployment of stun grenades during protests sparked by students, following reports of alleged police misconduct at the demonstrations. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez informed RTL radio on Wednesday that the ban would remain in place for high school demonstrations until the circumstances surrounding the incident are thoroughly examined.

Nunez stressed that the suspension was limited to the high school protests and would only be temporary, until the facts were established. The announcement came after allegations emerged that teenagers had lost their hands or teeth during the protests. French regional newspaper La Voix du Nord reported on Monday that a 15-year-old had his hand and a portion of his lower arm blown off after inadvertently picking up a police stun grenade that subsequently detonated during the protest.

Last week, a 14-year-old student in northwest Paris suffered a jaw injury when a tear gas canister was fired at him, leading to charges against the officer on Tuesday. This move also precedes Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's address to the protesters later on Wednesday evening.