France Suspends Police Grenades After Student Protests Turn Violent

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez suspended the police use of stun grenades and tear gas on Wednesday following a wave of violent clashes during nationwide student-led protests. The decision comes after reports of severe injuries, including a 15-year-old student in Lens who lost a hand after a riot police grenade exploded and a 14-year-old who lost several teeth. Other reported injuries include broken jaws and loss of sight.

The protests, which began in late September, involve tens of thousands of students, parents, and union workers demanding improvements to dilapidated school facilities and solutions for teacher shortages. The crackdown has resulted in more than 6,500 arrests, primarily of minors. President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu and other ministers to address the crisis, while Lecornu denied that the government ordered police repression.

Political tension peaked in the National Assembly as lawmaker Gabrielle Cathala of the France Unbowed party demanded Nunez's resignation. Opposition leaders from the Green and Socialist parties criticized the government's policing doctrine, particularly after Nunez admitted on October 2 that he had not instructed law enforcement to exercise restraint. While the government has opened 18 internal investigations into police misconduct, opposition figures argue that investigations are insufficient to prevent further violence. A National Assembly petition calling for a ban on weapons capable of causing serious injuries during high school protests has gathered over 10,000 signatures.