Gruesome injuries throw spotlight on France's policing of high school protests
PARIS — The police tear gas grenade shattered the 14-year-old’s jaw and many of his teeth. The officer who fired it was taken into custody a week later and charged with violent mutilation, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Following surgery, the boy cannot speak and can only eat with a straw, his mother says. Other adolescents have also suffered life-changing injuries blamed on police…
Parliamentary elections have brought a gruesome spotlight on France's handling of high school student protests. In Paris, a 14-year-old suffered severe jaw injuries after a police tear gas grenade shattered his teeth. The officer responsible was charged with violent mutilation, facing a possible 15-year prison sentence. After surgery, the boy remains unable to speak and can only consume food through a straw.
Students across France have endured life-altering injuries at the hands of police during nationwide demonstrations demanding more funding for underfunded schools. In the mining town of Lens, a 15-year-old lost a hand following an incident involving a police stun grenade. Meanwhile, in Tours, prosecutors suspect a police riot-control round in the partial blinding of a 16-year-old.
Beyond the physical harm, the extensive use of police arrests and tactics deemed excessively violent has profoundly impacted a generation of French schoolchildren and upcoming voters. Government critics and human rights advocates argue that these actions have exposed young people to the stark realities of state power and their rights as citizens.
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