France Suspends Stun Grenade Use in Student Protests After Teenager Loses Hand in Lens Incident

France's government has ordered a nationwide pause on the use of stun grenades in policing operations against student demonstrations, following an incident in the northern city of Lens in which a 15-year-old boy's hand was severed. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the suspension on Wednesday, saying the measure would remain in effect until the circumstances surrounding Monday's incident are fully established. The decision marks a significant concession by the authorities amid escalating tensions over the policing of protests that have spread across the country since mid-September.

Nuñez told French radio station RTL that the police watchdog, the IGPN, has opened 18 separate investigations into whether officers acted proportionately during the demonstrations. He singled out the Lens episode as a matter that "raises questions for all of us within the Ministry of the Interior." According to the minister, a so-called anti-encirclement grenade was discharged in unclear circumstances near the Auguste Béhal high school in the northern city, close to Lille.

The official account provided by local authorities differs sharply from that given by protesting students. The prefect of the region said the teenager picked up the device before it exploded, and that the incident occurred when police were confronted by a group of 200 to 250 students throwing stones and fireworks. Students and their representatives, however, allege the boy was struck directly when an officer fired the grenade at him. The conflicting narratives have intensified scrutiny of police tactics during the unrest.

Stun grenades of this type are formally classified as non-lethal weapons, but they release small rubber pellets upon detonation and can cause severe injury at close range. The suspension effectively removes one of the tools French security forces have relied upon in managing crowds during the recent wave of school protests, which have expanded well beyond their original base of high school pupils.

The unrest has since grown to encompass parents, university students, and trade unions, turning what began as a movement against poor school conditions into a broader social protest. On Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of people marched in cities across France, demanding improved facilities, smaller class sizes, and adequate staffing. In some locations, police deployed tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds. Government figures placed the number of demonstrators at more than 250,000, while student unions estimated the turnout at 450,000.

The interior ministry reported that 488 people were arrested during Tuesday's actions and that 43 members of the security forces sustained injuries. Disruption continued into Wednesday, with more than 500 schools either fully or partially closed. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is scheduled to deliver an evening address on the school protests as the government seeks a path out of the crisis.

Concerns about the use of force extend beyond the Lens case. Last week, a 14-year-old boy was struck in the face by a tear gas grenade in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône, north-west of Paris. His lawyer said the boy lost several teeth and suffered a fractured jaw, and a police officer has since been charged in connection with the incident. On Wednesday, prosecutors announced that an attempted murder investigation had been opened after a 17-year-old protester alleged that an officer held his head underwater while attempting to arrest him near a river in the north-eastern city of Belfort.

Student union leaders have called on the government to rein in the police. Ryad Rani, head of the USL high school union, told French radio that the message to Nuñez was clear: "calm your police officers down and call for restraint." The appeal reflects growing anger among young people who say they have been met with disproportionate force while exercising what they view as a legitimate right to protest.

Prime Minister Lecornu has condemned violence that has occurred at some demonstrations, noting on Tuesday that 215 students, 85 staff members, and 715 police officers had been hurt since the protests began. According to the interior ministry, more than 6,500 people have been stopped or arrested during the same period. The figures illustrate the scale of the confrontations and the strain placed on both protesters and security personnel.

President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting late on Tuesday with Lecornu and other key ministers to discuss ways out of the crisis. The gathering followed a day in which nearly a quarter of all lycées, or high schools, across France experienced disruption. The government has sought to balance maintaining public order with responding to grievances over overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, and deteriorating school buildings.

A fourth round of protests is being planned for Thursday in Paris and other cities, according to student unions. That prospect places further pressure on the government, which faces the challenge of preventing a fresh escalation while addressing the underlying demands of a movement that has proven resilient and broad-based. The suspension of stun grenades may temporarily reduce the risk of further serious injuries, but it does not resolve the deeper dispute over policing methods and educational conditions.

The IGPN investigations now underway will examine individual cases of alleged excessive force, including the Lens incident. Their findings could shape public confidence in the security forces and influence the political trajectory of the crisis. For now, the government has signaled a willingness to pause one controversial tactic, while insisting that the protection of students and the maintenance of order remain its priorities. Whether that dual commitment can be sustained as protests continue remains an open question.