A 15-year-old student lost his left hand during a confrontation with riot police amid ongoing protests over education conditions in France. The incident occurred on Monday near the Auguste Béhal high school in Lens, a town in the northern Pas-de-Calais region. Authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the injury, but details remain unclear.
Local officials, including François-Xavier Lauch, the Pas-de-Calais prefect, confirmed the youth was seriously injured and hospitalized in Lille with a stable, non-life-threatening condition. Prosecutors have not definitively determined whether the student picked up a police stun grenade or if it was thrown at him before detonating. Police disciplinary authorities are examining the case, and charges could be brought against the officer involved.
The injury came amid expanding demonstrations by French students protesting underfunded and overcrowded schools, teacher shortages, and deteriorating facilities. Since late September, the protests have spread from Paris suburbs to cities across the country, with hundreds of high schools—known as lycées—remaining partially or completely closed due to blockades or strikes. On Monday alone, between 400 and 500 lycées were affected, including a third of those in the Paris region. These protests follow mounting concerns about class sizes, extended school days, and infrastructure problems such as leaking roofs, cockroach infestations, and extreme heat in classrooms.
Authorities reported that between 150 and 250 pupils gathered near the Lens high school before clashes erupted with riot police, who responded with tear gas, stun grenades, and less-lethal munitions such as flashball rounds. About 5,000 arrests have been made since the intensification of protests earlier in the month, with dozens of injuries reported among both protesters and law enforcement.
Student unions have blamed the government for delayed and inadequate responses to their grievances, calling for a national day of protest to further highlight their demands. These include the immediate replacement of absent teachers, a reduction of class sizes, and investment in school infrastructure. Trade unions and parents’ organizations are also preparing to join demonstrations in support of schoolchildren nationwide. Sophie Binet, head of the leftwing CGT trade union, criticized the government’s approach as insufficient, urging an end to budget cuts affecting education.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has acknowledged the legitimacy of student concerns and ordered ministers to propose measures by the end of October addressing absent teacher replacements, repair of school buildings, and reassessment of school day lengths. Despite this, tensions remain high, with continued blockades and protests anticipated, including from university students showing solidarity.
The government has emphasized restoring order amid the unrest, while human rights groups have raised concerns about the proportionality of police tactics when dealing with predominantly minor demonstrators. The unrest also comes in the lead-up to the 2027 presidential elections, adding political pressure to the ongoing social dispute. Meanwhile, investigations continue into other cases of injuries during these protests, including a complaint over a 16-year-old who reportedly lost sight in one eye following a police rubber bullet strike.