Teen loses hand after picking up police‑thrown explosive in French school protest

A 15‑year‑old boy suffered the loss of his hand on Monday in Lens when he tried to retrieve a small explosive device that police had launched during a high‑school demonstration, and the device detonated. The injured teenager was taken to a hospital in Lille, where officials said he is now out of danger, according to Prefect François‑Xavier Lauch of the Pas‑de‑Calais region. A 16‑year‑old protester in Tours also sustained severe head trauma last week, leaving him unable to use one eye, prosecutors reported. Since the movement began on 17 September in the Paris suburb of Créteil, more than 500 of France’s 3,700 lycées have been fully or partially shut, and authorities say 215 students and 715 police officers have been hurt. Ten inquiries have been opened by the police watchdog. Students have been blocking school entrances across the country, demanding relief from overcrowded classrooms, chronic teacher shortages, crumbling facilities and inadequate cooling for rising temperatures. "The education system is clearly failing," said Alma, a pupil at Lycée Charlemagne in Paris, while another student, Simon, warned that the anger has been building for years. The French Human Rights League accused security forces of using excessive force against minors. In Paris, some demonstrators set off fireworks near the Gustave Eiffel school, prompting police to deploy tear‑gas, though the overall situation stayed relatively calm. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called on local authorities to fill vacant teaching posts and scheduled a meeting with regional presidents to discuss renovating dilapidated school buildings. The government also proposed a bill that would make vandals cover the cost of repairing public property, a measure defended by spokeswoman Maud Bregœn, who linked youth vandalism to parental responsibility. The unrest comes ahead of the 2027 presidential election that will decide President Emmanuel Macron’s successor, adding political urgency to the students’ demands.

Context

The protests reflect long‑standing underfunding of French public schools, a problem that has grown as class sizes swell and many school buildings age without proper maintenance. The recent surge in demonstrations shows how quickly education grievances can turn into broader social unrest, especially when youths feel their future is at stake.