15-year-old schoolboy lost his hand after the explosion of a stun grenade, which, according to police, he picked up during protests in the city of Lens. The incident occurred against the backdrop of ongoing demonstrations by French sixth-formers demanding improvements to learning conditions.
HOW THE INCIDENT HAPPENED
According to Le Monde, the teenager was injured on 5 October in Lens in northern France. He picked up a grenade that had previously been used by police officers, after which it exploded.
The injured person was hospitalised in Lille. The prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region, François-Xavier Lauch, said that the teenager was not in danger.
In another city, Tours, a 16-year-old protest participant had earlier suffered a serious head injury and lost the sight in one eye, prosecutors said.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INJURED
According to the French Government, since the start of the protest movement, 215 schoolchildren and 715 police officers have been injured. At the same time, the French body overseeing police activity has opened 10 investigations.
The French League for Human Rights accused the security forces of using disproportionate methods against protest participants. The organisation separately noted that many demonstrators are minors.
WHY SCHOOLCHILDREN ARE PROTESTING
The protests began on 17 September at a lycée in the Paris suburb of Créteil. Initially, the movement was linked to support for teachers who were speaking out because of a shortage of staff and resources.
The actions then spread across the country. Schoolchildren complain about a shortage of teachers, an overloaded timetable, the unsatisfactory state of classrooms and buildings which, they say, are poorly adapted to rising temperatures.
By 5 October, more than 500 of France's 3,700 lycées were fully or partially closed.
WHAT MEASURES ARE BEING DISCUSSED
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called on local authorities to prioritise filling teaching vacancies and addressing the consequences of prolonged staff absences.
The government is also promoting a bill under which those responsible for damaging state property must reimburse the costs of restoring it. The Prime Minister said the mechanism could provide for the recovery of compensation from family benefits and housing payments while maintaining a minimum income level.