Teen loses hand picking up police grenade as France school protests continue, tell me about this news today
05-10-2026
A 15-year-old student lost his hand and suffered severe injuries to his lower arm after picking up a police stun grenade during school demonstrations in the northern French city of Lens.
The Incident The incident occurred on Monday morning during clashes between riot police and around 200 to 250 high school protesters outside a school in Lens. According to local reports and Pas-de-Calais prefect François-Xavier Lauch, the teenager picked up a crowd-control stun grenade deployed by policereportedly intending to throw it backwhen it detonated in his hand. Authorities confirmed his life is not in danger, and an official investigation into the incident has been opened.
Why Students Are Protesting The unrest has entered its third week, spreading across hundreds of high schools throughout France. The core grievances driving the demonstrations include:
Severe staffing and teacher shortages.
Dilapidated, unsafe, and overcrowded school infrastructure.
Anger over proposed budget cuts aimed at reducing the national deficit, which students and unions argue will further starve the public education system of necessary resources.
Escalation and Fallout The protests have increasingly resulted in street confrontations, with blockades, burning bins, and extensive property damage. Critics and student organizers have condemned what they describe as disproportionate use of force and crowd-control weapons against minors by riot police.
The French government has insisted that its primary goal is restoring public order while simultaneously directing ministers to address key student demands, such as expediting school repairs and securing substitute teachers. Meanwhile, the crisis has fueled heated political debate ahead of upcoming elections, with the government and right-wing parties accusing left-wing opposition figures of stoking the unrest, charges the opposition denies.