Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
France has temporarily suspended police use of stun grenades during high-school student demonstrations after a 15-year-old boy lost his hand during a protest in the northern city of Lens.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the suspension on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, saying the measure would remain in place while authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s severe injury. Reuters reported that Nuñez said there was a strong likelihood that the use of a non-lethal grenade was connected to the injury.
The decision comes as France faces a widening wave of student protests over deteriorating school infrastructure, teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and inadequate resources. The demonstrations have spread across the country, with hundreds of schools affected and clashes between protesters and police intensifying in several cities.
Teenager Loses Hand During Lens Protest
The incident occurred on Monday, October 5, near Lycée Auguste-Béhal in Lens, in the Pas-de-Calais region.
The 15-year-old was seriously injured when a police grenade exploded near or in his hand during the confrontation. French authorities subsequently opened an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
French media reports said the teenager underwent surgery and ultimately had his hand amputated. The precise sequence of events remains under investigation, including how the grenade came into contact with the student.
The General Inspectorate of the National Police, known as IGPN, has been tasked with investigating police conduct in the incident.
The authorities have not concluded that the police deliberately caused the injury. The investigation is expected to establish how the grenade was deployed, how the teenager came into contact with it and whether police procedures were followed.
Government Suspends Grenades Pending Investigation
Nuñez said the suspension would apply to the ongoing high-school protest movement until authorities have established what happened in Lens.
“I suspend their use for the high-school students’ movement until the light has been shed on what happened in this case,” Nuñez said, according to Reuters.
The announcement represents a significant change in the government’s response to the demonstrations, particularly because the authorities have defended the use of riot-control equipment while arguing that police have faced violent confrontations with protesters.
Reuters reported that 18 investigations have now been entrusted to the IGPN in connection with incidents surrounding the student movement.
The suspension is therefore temporary and specifically linked to the student protests. It should not be interpreted as a permanent nationwide prohibition of stun grenades.
Protests Have Spread Across France
The incident in Lens occurred against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding student movement.
The protests began in the Paris region in September before spreading to cities across France. Students have demanded improvements to school buildings, additional teachers, better classroom conditions and increased resources for public education.
By early October, hundreds of high schools were experiencing full or partial blockades. Reuters reported that between 400 and 500 high schools were expected to remain completely or partially closed on October 5, representing roughly 10% to 13% of France’s approximately 3,700 high schools.
The movement has also drawn support from teachers, parents and trade unions, turning what began as a student-focused campaign into a broader national dispute over education and government spending.
On October 6, more than 266,000 people took part in demonstrations across France, according to figures reported by The Associated Press, including about 56,000 people in Paris. Organisers gave a higher national estimate.
Clashes With Police Intensify
Although many demonstrations have been peaceful, some protests have resulted in clashes between students and security forces.
Police have used tear gas and other crowd-control measures to disperse demonstrators in several cities. Authorities have also reported property damage, attacks and other violent incidents connected to the protests.
The government has maintained that maintaining public order is necessary, while critics have accused security forces of using excessive force against young protesters.
The debate intensified following several serious injuries.
Le Monde reported that, as of October 5, 190 students, 650 law-enforcement officers and 78 school staff had been injured amid the protests. It also reported investigations into incidents involving police weapons, including the Lens case.
A separate case involved a 14-year-old student who suffered serious facial injuries, while another teenager in Tours was reportedly injured in the eye during the unrest. The circumstances of those incidents are also subject to investigation.
Why Students Are Protesting
The student demonstrations are rooted primarily in concerns about the state of France’s public education system.
Students and their supporters have complained about deteriorating school buildings, shortages of teachers, overcrowded classrooms and inadequate resources.
Reuters reported that the protests expanded after students demanded more resources, better-maintained schools, smaller classes and measures to address staff shortages.
The scale of the demonstrations has also placed pressure on Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s government as it attempts to address France’s public finances and prepare its 2027 budget.
The government’s financial constraints make it difficult to satisfy all of the protesters’ demands immediately, adding an economic dimension to what began largely as an education dispute.
Government Attempts to Open Dialogue
Alongside its security response, the French government has introduced measures aimed at giving students a greater opportunity to express their concerns.
The Education Ministry announced that from October 7, all French high schools would dedicate part of the school day to dialogue with students.
Under the programme, schools are to organise a half-day of discussion in which students can raise difficulties and expectations. The ministry has also opened a national consultation running until October 23 to collect students’ views on their education.
The initiative reflects the government’s attempt to shift some of the response from confrontation toward dialogue.
However, student protests have continued, suggesting that the measures have not yet resolved the underlying grievances.
Police Conduct Under Growing Scrutiny
The Lens incident has placed renewed attention on France’s use of intermediate-force weapons during demonstrations.
The government classifies the equipment as non-lethal or intermediate weapons, but serious injuries associated with riot-control devices have repeatedly raised questions about their safety and deployment.
Le Monde reported that the EF-SON stun grenade, a newer weapon introduced into French police equipment in 2025, is among the devices now under scrutiny. The newspaper reported that its use has been suspended in the student demonstrations following the Lens incident.
The investigation will be important in determining whether the equipment was deployed according to regulations and whether changes are required to prevent similar injuries.
Political Pressure Mounts
The suspension also comes as political pressure over the government’s handling of the demonstrations grows.
Opposition politicians on the left have criticised what they describe as disproportionate police force and have called for greater accountability. At the same time, government officials have condemned violent acts committed during demonstrations and stressed the need to protect police officers, teachers, students and public property.
The government therefore faces two competing pressures: restoring public order while responding to legitimate concerns over education and addressing allegations of excessive police force.
Prime Minister Lecornu has acknowledged the legitimacy of student concerns while condemning violence during the demonstrations. President Emmanuel Macron also convened an emergency meeting with senior ministers as the protests escalated.
What Happens Next
The immediate focus will be on the investigations into the Lens incident and other allegations involving police conduct.
The temporary suspension of stun grenades during high-school protests is expected to remain in effect until authorities have established what happened to the 15-year-old student.
Meanwhile, student demonstrations are likely to continue as organisers press the government for improvements to school facilities, staffing and education funding.
The Education Ministry’s nationwide student consultation and the half-day dialogue sessions beginning October 7 could provide an avenue for negotiations, but the government’s ability to translate those discussions into concrete reforms will be closely watched.
The Lens incident has also ensured that police tactics will remain a central part of the national debate.
For France, the immediate challenge is no longer only how to manage demonstrations. The government must also address the underlying education concerns while maintaining public order and ensuring that the policing of young demonstrators complies with legal and safety standards.
The suspension of stun grenades is therefore both a response to one serious injury and a test of how France balances public security with the right to protest.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Reuters — France suspends use of stun grenades during student protests after 15-year-old loses hand.
- The Associated Press — French protests over school funding and conditions.
- The Guardian — French police suspend stun grenade use after high-school protester loses hand.
- Le Monde — Reporting on injuries during French high-school protests and the Lens incident.
- France Ministry of Education — Student dialogue and national consultation.
