French Teen Loses Hand After Picking Up Police Grenade During School Protests

A 15-year-old student in France sustained severe injuries resulting in the loss of a hand after apparently picking up a police grenade on Monday. The incident occurred in Lens, a town in northern France, amidst nationwide demonstrations by students protesting poor classroom conditions that have disrupted education at hundreds of schools for over a week.

According to a police union source speaking to the AFP news agency, the teenager handled a sting-ball grenade launched by riot police, which then detonated in his hand. The event took place as some students returned to class while others continued their actions outside school grounds, leading up to planned larger demonstrations on Tuesday.

The protests, which began on September 17 at a high school in the Paris suburb of Creteil, were originally organized in support of teachers facing staff shortages and resource deficits. However, the movement quickly expanded across France, with participants raising grievances about teacher absences, overloaded schedules, crumbling infrastructure, and buildings ill-suited for rising temperatures.

Bilal Narjissi, a 17-year-old protester, told CBS News that his school suffers from rat infestations. Student leader Daphnee Die acknowledged the legitimacy of the students’ frustration but warned that the situation has become increasingly dangerous.

“It’s understandable, but it’s getting really dangerous, and that’s why we’re warning students to be safe during these events,” Die said.

The unrest has unfolded months ahead of elections expected next year, which will determine the successor to President Emmanuel Macron. The government has accused hard-left activists of co-opting the student movement, while simultaneously attempting to address the systemic issues raised by the protesters.

The French Human Rights League criticized security forces for employing disproportionate tactics against demonstrators, noting that many are legal minors. League President Nathalie Tehio stated that police instructions appeared to lack directives for restraint when dealing with children.

More than 400 of France’s 3,700 high schools, known as lycees, were partially or fully closed on Monday. In the Paris region, approximately a third of the 468 lycees for teenagers aged 15 to 17 were expected to remain shuttered.

In central Paris, dozens of students demonstrated outside the Turgot high school in the 3rd arrondissement, holding signs such as one reading, “We’re missing our lessons to give you one.” Meanwhile, in Bordeaux, some students returned to class while others protested nearby, with clashes remaining limited despite the presence of riot police.

Violence was reported in Lille, where masked protesters destroyed bus shelters and set fire to dustbins, prompting police to deploy tear gas. Since the start of the demonstrations, 24 schools have been burned or ransacked, according to the education minister. Authorities have arrested over 5,000 individuals, 85% of whom are minors.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu outlined a plan on Sunday urging local authorities to prioritize filling teacher vacancies and called for a Tuesday meeting with regional presidents to discuss renovating dilapidated school buildings. The government is also advancing legislation that would require those responsible for damaging public property to cover repair costs personally, rather than relying on public funds.

Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon defended the proposed law during an interview with Europe1/CNews, emphasizing the need for parental accountability when minors engage in vandalism such as burning school entrances.

Lecornu indicated that compensation payments could potentially be recovered from family allowances and housing benefits, provided a minimum income threshold is maintained. However, Sophie Binet, head of the CGT labor union, condemned the measure as a populist announcement that would ultimately burden the most vulnerable families.