A 14-year-old boy sustained serious facial injuries last week during student protests in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumone, France, after being hit by a tear gas canister fired by police at close range, according to his family and legal representatives. The teenager, identified only as Eden, suffered a broken jaw and multiple shattered teeth in the incident, which took place amid a series of demonstrations opposing conditions in schools.

Eden was reportedly sitting on a wall, several meters away from the main protest, when a police officer approached and struck him with a baton. Following this, the boy responded by kicking the officer, prompting a second officer to fire a tear gas grenade using a Cougar launcher that struck Eden in the face. The family’s lawyer, Elsa Marcel, stated that the officer who fired the canister left Eden on the ground without summoning medical assistance. The family has filed a complaint alleging attempted murder.

Authorities have declined to comment extensively due to the ongoing investigation, but the local prosecutor’s office noted that the student had confronted police and that officers were attempting to push him back. On Tuesday, an officer was formally charged with assault by a public official causing permanent disability or disfigurement, a week after the incident.

This case is part of a broader inquiry by the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN), which is investigating 24 separate incidents related to police actions during more than two weeks of student unrest. The demonstrations, targeting educational policies, have been described by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu as the most violent seen in several decades.

Police tactics during the protests, including the use of rubber bullets and grenade launchers, have triggered significant controversy. These tools, which are not employed by law enforcement in many other European countries, have faced criticism from human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and United Nations experts, who characterize them as dangerous and disproportionate.

Public anger over aggressive policing has grown, fueling further support for the protest movement, which symbolizes broader dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s administration as it approaches upcoming political challenges. The incident involving Eden has intensified scrutiny on law enforcement methods amid ongoing debates about balancing public order with respecting citizens’ rights during mass demonstrations.