Key Takeaways
- French government suspends use of stun grenades in student protests.
- 15-year-old boy loses hand during clash with riot police in Lens.
- Protests continue over education issues, with hundreds of schools closed.
The French government has suspended the use of stun grenades in its policing of student protests following a serious incident where a 15-year-old boy lost his hand during a clash with riot police in the northern city of Lens.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the suspension, stating, 'I am suspending their use for the high school students’ movement until light has been shed on what happened in this case.'
The decision comes amid ongoing student protests that have been ongoing for over two weeks, with hundreds of schools closed and more demonstrations planned.
The students are protesting against dilapidated infrastructure, teacher shortages, overloaded schedules, and a lack of funding in education, which they blame for France’s worsening educational performance.
According to the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), French 15-year-olds scored 43 points lower in reading and their math scores dropped the most since 2015.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu acknowledged the 'legitimate' demands of the students but described the unrest as the most violent in decades.
The CGT trade union, France’s second-largest, has called for further street protests, stating, 'The CGT will continue to shoulder its responsibilities in supporting the young people who have mobilised and protecting them from violence and police repression.'
The protests have also sparked similar actions in other parts of Europe, with students in Belgium launching copycat actions, particularly in the southern French-speaking Wallonia region.
The unrest highlights the government’s struggle to address the students’ complaints of understaffing, lack of investment in ageing school buildings, and regional inequality, all under pressure to tame public debt amid weak growth.
I am suspending their use for the high school students’ movement until light has been shed on what happened in this case.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, Interior Minister
The CGT will continue to shoulder its responsibilities in supporting the young people who have mobilised and protecting them from violence and police repression.
CGT trade union statement, CGT trade union
