French Police Blow Off 15-Year-Old's Hand and Blind Another Teen as School Protests Turn Violent
French police have been accused of maiming teenagers during protests against poor school conditions, with one 15-year-old losing his hand to a stun grenade and a 16-year-old losing sight in one eye.
The violence has left children with fractured jaws, lost teeth, and lasting psychological trauma — and critics say the government's response to legitimate protests is unacceptable.
French schoolchildren have faced severe police violence during recent protests against poor school conditions, according to accounts that detail shocking injuries to minors.
A 14-year-old boy named Eden suffered a fractured jaw and lost teeth after a police teargas grenade struck his face. Sixteen-year-old Maël lost sight in one eye, allegedly from a rubber-bullet launcher shot. Fifteen-year-old Evan had his hand blown off by a police stun grenade.
In Dunkirk, a police vehicle allegedly drove repeatedly at groups of students while an officer shouted threats. Children held in police custody described traumatic experiences with serious psychological and physical effects.
The author, a former student protester in 1994, notes that such a police response would have deterred her from demonstrating. She argues that protesting shameful school conditions is legitimate, but the government's response is not.