Student protests continue: France's government suspends use of shock grenades

afp/dpa | After numerous serious injuries to young people in police operations during student protests, the government has suspended the use of stun grenades. This initially only applies to the student protests “in order to clarify what exactly happened,” Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told broadcaster RTL on Wednesday. A 15-year-old boy from Lens in northern France had his hand torn off by such a grenade on Monday.

What was unclear was whether the boy was hit by the police grenade or whether he picked it up himself to throw it back. It should also be clarified whether the operation complied with the rules. The General Inspectorate of Police began an investigation.

In total, the police supervisory authority is already investigating 18 cases in connection with the student protests. This also includes the injury of a 14-year-old when a tear gas grenade was fired at close range. The student named Eden lost most of his teeth and suffered a broken jaw.

The police officer who fired this grenade during an operation against protesting students in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône, northwest of Paris, has been charged with illegal use of force. The public prosecutor's office assumes that the requirements for self-defense were not met. Human rights groups, opposition politicians and many students have accused the police of using disproportionate force in recent days.

According to the Interior Ministry, 488 people were arrested and 43 security guards were injured on Tuesday. Since the protests began, more than 6,500 people have been arrested, mostly minors.

Since mid-September, high school students have been blocking access to hundreds of schools across the country to demonstrate for better learning conditions. Specifically, they are demanding, among other things, more teachers, smaller classes, shorter school days and better school equipment. At the same time, there is general anger at injustices in the education system and a lack of prospects.

The school protests in France continue unabated even after the major rallies on Tuesday. In the morning there were again individual blockades at high schools and universities, including at the elite Parisian university Sciences Po. As a precautionary measure, 528 schools remained completely or partially closed. Education unions called for renewed demonstrations on Thursday. Young people are demanding better equipment in schools, more teachers and better learning conditions.

President Emmanuel Macron called for moderation at a crisis meeting on Tuesday evening, the interior minister said in an interview with broadcaster RTL. Macron called on people to “show empathy” and to explain that the police intervene in cases of serious acts of violence. Above all, it must be made clear “that in peaceful demonstrations – including those by students in front of their schools – there is no reason for police intervention, none at all.” So far, the police have also broken up blockades in front of schools.

According to the Interior Ministry, 266,000 people took part in protests in Paris and other major cities on Tuesday, and education unions spoke of 450,000 participants.

The government's concern is that the protests - fueled by high fuel prices and the cost of living - could spread to other areas and create something like a second yellow vest protest, which kept France in suspense for a long time in 2019. Against this background, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu wants to give a speech in the evening on the situation at high schools, the high fuel prices, the agricultural crisis and the country's ailing financial situation.