France Halts Stun Grenade Use Amid Student Protests and Brutality Claims

France has temporarily suspended the use of stun grenades by police forces during high school demonstrations following accusations of police brutality. The decision comes after a 15-year-old protester lost a hand during a demonstration in Lens, northern France. This incident has intensified ongoing protests that have seen hundreds of schools affected and hundreds injured across the country.

The protests, initially sparked by concerns over school conditions and inequality, have broadened to include calls for an end to alleged police repression. The interior minister stated that the use of stun grenades has been halted "in the context of the high school students’ movement" while an investigation into the incident takes place. Reports indicate that hundreds of thousands, primarily teenagers, have taken to the streets in over 40 French cities, with union members, parents, and teachers joining in solidarity.