French Teen Loses Hand to Flashbang at Protest

During ongoing high school protests in the French city of Lens, a 15-year-old student lost his hand when a projectile he picked up exploded, nos.nl reported. The boy was hospitalized in Lille and is not in life-threatening condition, according to French media reports cited by nos.nl.

Injury in Lens and Flashbang Dispute

Local French media identified the explosive object as a flashbang grenade thrown by riot police to blind or stun crowds with a loud noise and light, though regional newspaper La Voix du Nord reported via nrc.nl that the object was a tear gas grenade. The 15-year-old reportedly attempted to throw the canister back when it detonated in his hand. The incident occurred outside a school in Lens where demonstrations turned violent. A local government representative stated that a group of 200 to 250 high school students threw stones, fireworks, and mortars at police officers in the district, prompting the deployment of mobile units to control the area. The school announced on Facebook that all lessons have switched to remote learning immediately following the incident.

Nationwide School Protests and Property Damage

The unrest follows a wave of demonstrations across France regarding educational issues, including neglected building maintenance, teacher shortages, and oversized classrooms. Minister of Education Édouard Geffray stated that 589 schools experienced protests, and 190 students and staff members have been injured since the demonstrations began. Geffray also noted that 78 of those injured are teachers or other staff members. In Paris, a high school was targeted by masked youths who set fire to the entrance and hurled objects at the building, trapping students inside from 08:00 to 10:00 before the facility was evacuated. Police chief in Paris Patrice Faure warned in a post on X that rioters had hijacked the student movement and urged parents to keep children away from violence, noting that nationwide arrests reached 5,000 over the weekend.

Protest Movement Expands from Paris to Nationwide Closures

The movement began in mid-September in a Paris suburb and expanded across the country. While starting peacefully, the unrest escalated last Tuesday during a national protest action. In Lille, masked demonstrators burned a trash can pushed into the street and destroyed bus shelters. Hundreds of schools have remained closed for two consecutive weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What issues sparked the student protests in France?

  Students mobilized to demand attention for deteriorating school infrastructure, teacher shortages, and oversized classes.

• When are the next protests scheduled?

  Student and youth organizations called for large-scale national protests following what they deemed an unsatisfactory meeting with the Minister of Education.

• How many schools have been affected by the violence?

  Minister Édouard Geffray reported that 24 middle schools have been set on fire or looted during the demonstrations.

  More on this story: France student protests leave 83 police injured and hundreds detained · French high school students protest budget cuts and school conditions