French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced on Wednesday that the use of non-lethal stun grenades has been suspended until further clarity emerges regarding the events in Lens on Monday. The decision follows serious injury to a teenage protester, with Nunez acknowledging a “strong possibility” that the device caused the student to lose his hand.
“I am suspending their use for the high school students’ movement until light has been shed on what happened in this case,” Nunez stated. The ministry confirmed that 18 investigations into the conduct of security forces have been referred to the police inspectorate.
The incident has intensified criticism from rights groups, student organizations, and political opponents, who allege that law enforcement is employing disproportionate force during a student-led demonstration spanning more than two weeks. The unrest has highlighted widespread public frustration ahead of next year’s presidential elections.
Protesters are demanding action on deteriorating school infrastructure, teacher shortages, excessive workloads, and chronic underfunding. According to OECD rankings, France’s academic performance has declined sharply since 2015. In the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), 15-year-old French students scored 43 points lower in reading compared to a decade earlier—the largest drop among OECD nations—while mathematics scores also saw the steepest decline.
Demonstrations continued on Wednesday, with over 500 schools closed across the country, just one day after nationwide marches disrupted daily life. Unions have called for additional street marches later in the week.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has recognized the legitimacy of the students’ demands but described the current wave of unrest as the most violent student demonstration in decades. However, facing pressure to reduce public debt amidst weak economic growth, the government has limited financial room to address complaints about aging buildings, understaffing, and regional inequalities.
The left-wing CGT trade union, France’s second-largest, pledged support for the student movement. “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 union said in a statement.
The French protests appear to be inspiring similar actions across Europe. In Liege, Belgium, authorities have arrested at least 107 individuals in connection with student demonstrations this month. Meanwhile, teachers in Portugal launched an indefinite strike in mid-September over unpaid overtime and workload issues.
In Spain, teachers’ unions have been staging protests regarding conditions in state schools, with plans for a strike in Madrid on October 14 to demand smaller class sizes, reduced working hours, and higher salaries.
“The underlying causes of the French protests reflect problems familiar to teachers and students in other countries: deteriorating school conditions, teacher shortages, excessive workloads, and widening inequalities in access to education,” said the Portuguese union FENPROF.
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