French police maim teenagers? School protests turn violent.

French schoolchildren have faced severe police violence during recent protests against poor school conditions. 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 police response would have deterred her from demonstrating. She argues that protesting shameful school conditions is legitimate, but the government's response is not.