France Suspends Stun Grenades Amid Growing Student Protests

The French government has announced a temporary suspension of stun grenades during student protests. This decision comes after a 15-year-old boy suffered a life-changing injury in the northern city of Lens, where his hand was blown off during a demonstration. Stun grenades are tools used by police to control crowds. They are considered non-lethal, meaning they are not designed to kill, but they release small rubber pellets when they explode. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the pause, stating that the measure will remain in place until the facts of the Lens incident are fully understood.

According to BBC News, the incident in Lens remains a point of disagreement. Authorities claim the student picked up the grenade after it was thrown, while students allege he was hit directly by the device. The boy’s mother told BFMTV that her son’s hand had to be amputated, and she strongly denied that he had tried to pick up the weapon. This case is one of 18 internal investigations now opened by the police watchdog, the IGPN, to determine if officers used appropriate force during the recent weeks of unrest.

These protests, which have spread across the country, were originally triggered by concerns over the state of French high schools. Students are calling for better funding, smaller class sizes, and improvements to buildings that they describe as dilapidated. The Guardian reports that hundreds of thousands of people, including parents and teachers, joined marches on Tuesday. While many of these demonstrations were peaceful, others resulted in vandalism and violent clashes with riot police. In some cities, officers used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu addressed the nation on Wednesday, acknowledging that the students' anger "does not come from nowhere." He promised that the government would present a set of proposals by the end of October to address issues like building renovations and teacher shortages. However, he defended the police, stating that security forces do not have orders to confront young people. He emphasized that officers only intervene when protests become violent. According to The Guardian, the government reported that 215 students and 89 school staff have been injured since the protests began, alongside 761 police officers.

Despite the suspension of stun grenades, some police unions have expressed concern. Jean-Paul Nascimento, a national secretary for the UNSA police union, told FranceInfo that he was skeptical about the move. He argued that the decision was based on emotion rather than strategy. He warned that without these tools to manage crowds, police might be forced into closer contact with protesters, which could potentially lead to even more injuries on both sides.

Meanwhile, the situation in schools remains difficult. The education ministry reported that hundreds of schools have been fully or partially closed due to the ongoing disruption. In addition to the high school protests, university students have also joined the movement, with dozens of campuses across France being blockaded. The government is now under significant pressure to balance its budget while responding to these urgent demands for better public services.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, French officials have also had to deal with misinformation. Paris police chief Patrice Faure recently rejected a viral TikTok video that falsely claimed he had threatened to use tear gas against students. Officials have warned that such videos, along with international political tensions, are making a difficult situation even harder to manage. As the government prepares its response for late October, both students and police remain on edge, waiting to see if the promised reforms will be enough to end the cycle of protests and clashes.