French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced today the suspension of stun grenade use in high school student protests. This decision follows reports of a 15-year-old losing a hand on 5/10 after police deployed a stun grenade, prompting a need to clarify the incident.

Nunez clarified that this suspension applies solely to high school student demonstrations and will remain in effect "long enough to determine what happened".

Last week, a 14-year-old student in northwest Paris lost several teeth after being hit in the face at close range by a tear gas grenade. A police officer involved in that incident faces prosecution.

Minister Nunez confirmed police have initiated 18 internal investigations into alleged misconduct since the protests began.

French police remove a protester from a lawn in Paris on 6/10. *Photo: AFP*

Manuel Bompard, national coordinator for the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party, criticized the decision, stating it took "many children suffering lifelong injuries for Nunez to abandon the use of grenades against high school students". The government, conversely, accuses LFI of inciting tension around the demonstrations.

French high school students have been protesting for over two weeks against dilapidated facilities and teacher shortages. The movement has spread nationwide, marked by numerous violent clashes and the arrest of over 6,500 people, primarily minors.

On 6/10, hundreds of thousands continued protesting, demanding improved learning conditions. These demonstrations led to at least 488 arrests and 43 injuries among security personnel. That evening, President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu and key ministers to address the crisis.

Prime Minister Lecornu's office stated he would deliver a statement late on 7/10 regarding the protests and the national financial situation, amidst ongoing tense debates over the 2027 budget bill.

While most schools reopened on 7/10, over 500 remained partially closed. Students blocked entrances by piling up trash cans.

French police suppress protesting crowds. *Video: Reuters*

While largely peaceful, the protests saw isolated clashes in many areas. Protesters threw objects at security forces, who responded with tear gas. The government reports at least 215 students, 85 teachers, and 715 police officers have sustained injuries since the movement started.

Prime Minister Lecornu condemned the violence, telling lawmakers that such acts would not be tolerated. He also rejected accusations that the government had ordered "police repression" of protesters.

By Huyen Le (According to AFP)