France has suspended the use of stun grenades during student protests that have spread across the country. The decision follows an incident earlier this week in which a 15-year-old boy’s hand was blown off during a demonstration.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced he had ordered the pause on the use of the devices until the details of Monday’s incident in the northern city of Lens are clarified. Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the event, which took place near the Auguste Béhal high school. While local authorities stated the teenager picked up the grenade before it exploded, fellow students alleged he was struck directly by the projectile after it was discharged by an officer.
The device in question, often referred to as an anti-encirclement grenade, is classified as a non-lethal weapon designed to release small rubber pellets upon detonation. The incident occurred during a confrontation between police and a group of 200 to 250 students who were reportedly throwing stones and fireworks, according to the local prefect.
The suspension comes amid growing accusations from various groups alleging that security forces have used disproportionate force against young demonstrators. Nuñez confirmed to French radio station RTL that the police watchdog, IGPN, has launched 18 investigations into the proportionality of police conduct during the ongoing protests. The demonstrations, which began in mid-September over demands for improved school conditions, have expanded to include university students, parents, and trade unions.
Public concern has also been heightened by other reports of police conduct. In Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône, northwest of Paris, a police officer has been charged after a 14-year-old boy was struck in the face by a tear gas grenade last week, suffering a fractured jaw and lost teeth. In a separate incident near a river in Belfort, prosecutors opened an investigation into attempted murder after a 17-year-old student alleged that an arresting officer held his head underwater.
The ongoing unrest has caused significant disruptions, with more than 500 schools fully or partially closed. According to government figures, more than 250,000 people took to the streets on Tuesday, while student unions placed the turnout at 450,000. Since the protests began, the interior ministry reports that more than 6,500 people have been stopped or arrested, and hundreds of students, staff, and police officers have been injured.
Source: BBC News
