A 15-year-old boy has lost his hand and part of his lower arm after picking up a police stun grenade during student protests in the northern French town of Lens, as demonstrations over worsening school conditions continue to spread across the country.
An investigation has been opened into the incident.The protests, which began in the Paris region in September, have grown into one of France’s largest youth-led demonstrations in recent years. Students are demanding more teachers, better school facilities, smaller class sizes and improvements to what they describe as increasingly difficult learning conditions.
Between 400 and 500 high schools were expected to be fully or partially closed on Monday, according to France’s education ministry. The protests have affected schools in cities including Paris, Lille and Toulouse, with students blocking entrances and, in some cases, clashing with police.The unrest has also resulted in numerous arrests and injuries.
French authorities said more than 5,000 people had been arrested since the protests began, most of them minors, while at least 170 students and 78 education workers have reportedly been injured.Tensions have increased as some demonstrations have involved fires, property damage and confrontations with security forces.
Rights groups and critics of the government have raised concerns about the use of police force against young protesters, including reports of injuries linked to police projectiles.French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has acknowledged that students’ concerns are legitimate and ordered ministers to address key demands, including replacing absent teachers, reviewing school hours and repairing deteriorating school buildings.
The government says restoring order and protecting students and staff remain priorities.The protests have also taken on a political dimension ahead of France’s 2027 presidential election and amid government plans for its next budget. Government opponents have accused the left-wing France Unbowed party of encouraging the unrest, while the party and its leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, have rejected claims that they are promoting violence and say they support non-violent protest.
Student groups have called for further nationwide demonstrations, raising concerns that the unrest could continue unless the government takes concrete action on education demands. With hundreds of schools already affected and tensions between protesters and police remaining high, authorities face pressure to address both the students’ grievances and the violence surrounding the protests.
