French police suspend use of stun grenades after high-school protester loses hand

French authorities have temporarily barred police officers from deploying stun grenades at high school protests following an incident in which a 15-year-old student lost a hand, the country's interior minister announced on Wednesday.

Laurent Nuñez said the freeze on stun grenade usage specifically applies to operations involving the high school demonstrations. Speaking to RTL radio, Nuñez explained that the measure would remain in place until investigators determine precisely how the severe injury occurred during a confrontation in the northern town of Lens on Monday. Officials noted that riot police moved in after up to 200 demonstrators threw objects at law enforcement, though they have not established whether the teenager handled the explosive device or was hit by it.

Speaking to broadcaster BFMTV, the injured teenager's mother confirmed that doctors had amputated her son's hand, arguing that he never attempted to pick up the munition and condemning the harsh treatment of young people.

The incident follows two weeks of mounting unrest that have left hundreds injured on both sides. Government tallies show at least 215 teenagers, 85 school staff members, and approximately 750 police officers have sustained injuries during the clashes. Nuñez stated that authorities have initiated 18 internal police probes into suspected brutality, which include cases where a student suffered eye loss and another had multiple teeth knocked out.

Demonstrators have mobilized nationwide over issues including deteriorating school infrastructure, severe teacher shortages, oversized classes, and lengthy daily schedules. Human rights organizations and labor unions have sharply criticized law enforcement tactics. Anne Savinel-Barras, head of Amnesty France, warned that reports and visual evidence from the demonstrations highlight troubling concerns regarding the dangerous deployment of riot gear and dispersion methods.

The temporary ban followed nationwide demonstrations a day earlier that drew at least 250,000 students, parents, educators, and union members into the streets, marking the largest turnout of the movement so far. While many rallies remained peaceful, some descended into violent scuffles with security forces, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to convene an emergency cabinet meeting.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has denounced the unrest while rejecting claims that the state directed punitive measures against youth demonstrators. Lecornu also pointed to strict fiscal limits currently hampering the government's ability to satisfy the protesters' funding demands.

According to justice ministry figures, law enforcement personnel have detained over 6,500 people, the vast majority of them minors, with more than 1,800 individuals facing legal prosecution. The education ministry reported that lessons were disrupted or paused at 528 of France's 3,700 high schools on Wednesday as political tensions continue to heighten across the country.