French Teen’s Hand Blown Off After Picking Up Grenade As School Protests Escalate

A 15-year-old student lost his hand during clashes between high-school protesters and riot police in the northern French town of Lens on Monday, as a nationwide movement over overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and dilapidated schools entered its third week.

Local prefect François-Xavier Lauch confirmed that the teenager had suffered the severe injury and said an investigation had been opened. La Voix du Nord reported that the boy was injured after picking up a police dispersal grenade that detonated.

The incident came a day before a nationwide demonstration called by a pupils’ union, with hundreds of schools already disrupted by the protests. The movement, which began in late September in the Paris region, has spread across France, with clashes, fires, blockades and arrests adding a violent edge to demands for better conditions in schools.

Teenager Injured As Police And Students Clash

The incident took place in Lens as riot police confronted protesters outside a school. The teenager lost his hand and part of his lower arm, according to local reporting cited by Reuters.

The precise sequence of events remains under investigation, with authorities yet to establish publicly how the grenade came into the teenager’s possession and exactly how it detonated, according to Reuters.

The case has also intensified scrutiny of police tactics during the protests. French rights groups have accused police of using heavy-handed methods against minors, including tear gas, batons and non-lethal projectiles.

Several investigations have been opened into alleged police violence, including one involving a 16-year-old who suffered an eye injury after police reportedly fired rubber bullets into a crowd.

Authorities, meanwhile, have pointed to violence and damage during the unrest. Education Minister Édouard Geffray said 24 schools had been burned or ransacked and 78 education staff had been injured since the protests began, while police have detained thousands of people, most of them teenagers.

Why Are French Students Protesting?

The protests began with anger over the state of France’s schools. Students have complained about overcrowded classrooms, shortages of teachers, inadequate facilities and ageing school buildings, blaming years of underinvestment for conditions they say are making everyday education increasingly difficult.

The government’s proposed 2027 budget has done little to calm the dispute. Reuters reported that education spending is set to rise by 1.7% to €65.53 billion, excluding teacher pensions — an increase below the rate of inflation. At the same time, debt-servicing costs are expected to reach €74.5 billion, overtaking education as the largest item in the budget.

The unrest has now moved beyond school gates. On Monday, demonstrations continued in Paris, Lille and Marseille, while police used tear gas in Toulouse and protesters blocked entrances to schools. More than 400 high schools were closed or disrupted, according to Reuters.

Tuesday’s nationwide mobilisation is expected to bring more students onto the streets. With the Lens injury adding a serious new dimension to the confrontation, the government faces a difficult balance between restoring order and addressing the grievances that brought students out in the first place.