France suspends stun grenade use after teenager loses hand in protest

France has suspended the use of stun grenades for policing student demonstrations after a 15-year-old boy had his hand blown off on Monday. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez requested the pause until the facts surrounding the incident in Lens are clarified, according to the BBC. [1]

Protesters and officials have offered conflicting accounts of the event in Lens, the BBC reported. Several groups have complained that police are using disproportionate force against teenagers participating in the nationwide protests. [1]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, up to 500 schools were closed across France on Monday as student demonstrations escalated. Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered across the country on Tuesday, including in the capital city of Paris, the BBC noted. [1][4]

Disruption from the demonstrations continued on Wednesday morning. According to the BBC, Prime Minister Sébastien Leco faces ongoing challenges as more than 500 schools remain fully or partially closed across the country. [1]