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

France has temporarily halted the use of stun grenades during student protests, following a tragic incident in which a 15-year-old boy lost his hand. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez ordered the suspension to allow for a clarification of the facts surrounding the incident that occurred in Lens on Monday. Conflicting accounts have been presented by both protesters and officials, leading to this decision.

The protest disruption continued on Wednesday, with over 500 schools either fully or partially closed. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is scheduled to address the school protests in an evening speech. Education Minister Édouard Geffray reported that 24 schools had been either burned or vandalized to such an extent that they would remain shut for several weeks, impacting 30,000 students.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets on Tuesday to demand better school conditions. In some cities, tear gas and water cannon were utilized. The interior ministry reported that 488 individuals were arrested, and 43 members of the security forces sustained injuries during the demonstrations. Nuñez revealed that the police watchdog IGPN has initiated 18 investigations to determine whether the officers' actions were proportionate during the protests, which have expanded beyond high school students to include their parents, university students, and unions.

The circumstances surrounding the 15-year-old's injury were unclear. Authorities claim that he picked up the anti-encirclement grenade, which subsequently exploded. However, students alleged that he was directly hit by an officer's throw.