In brief
In Lens, north‑eastern France, a teenager’s hand was blown off during clashes between protesters and police amid national student demonstrations over school conditions. Prefect François‑Xavier Lauch confirmed the incident, noting the boy was quickly transported to hospital, though his life was not threatened. Reports allege the boy lost his hand after grabbing a stun grenade, and investigators from the IGPN will probe the event. The overcrowded protests — sparked by calls for better staffing and facilities — have led to half a thousand schools temporarily shutting, with many students demanding reforms through violent means.
Tragedy in Lens: A 15‑year‑old boy from Lens, north‑eastern France, lost an entire hand during a confrontation between school protesters and police on Monday morning. Prefect François‑Xavier Lauch reported the incident as a “very serious one” and said the teenager was immediately air‑lifted to a nearby hospital, with no immediate threat to his life.
French media outlets give conflicting accounts; one regional newspaper, La Voix Du Nord, claimed the boy grabbed a police stun grenade, which then detonated against his hand.
An investigation will be conducted by the IGPN, the police watchdog, to determine the exact circumstances. The incident unfolded close to Augite Béhal high school, where an unusually large crowd of students had gathered outside, following a wave of school‑related protests across the country. Students had been throwing stones, fireworks and mortars at police officers who initially were protecting the school, prompting the prefect to order riot police to intervene.
The high school immediately announced a switch to distance learning for the remainder of the day and set up a support unit to assist students and staff dealing with the traumatic events. These protests are part of a broader movement demanding improved staffing, better learning conditions and a response to increasing teacher shortages in France.
