Teenager loses hand in blast amid French school protest clashes
A 15-year-old student suffered a severe hand injury from a grenade during clashes between protesters and police in France. The incident has intensified scrutiny of police tactics as student demonstrations over school conditions enter their third week.
Why it matters
The injury has become a focal point for critics of police conduct and government handling of youth-led social unrest.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray said on Sunday about 500 schools likely to be fully or partially closed on Monday.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Firefighters extinguish a fire in front of Jean-Louis Cyffle high-school in Nancy [Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/AFP] By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 5 Oct 2026 5 Oct 2026 A teenager has lost a hand in a grenade explosion as the return of school protests in France sparked clashes with police.
The 15-year-old was seriously injured in the northern city of Lens on Monday. Unverified police reports said that he had picked up a stun grenade.
France had said it would close up to 500 schools as demonstrations over understaffed and rundown schools entered a third week. Critics have called for the authorities to temper their response to the protests amid claims of disproportionate police force being used against minors.
Also covering this story
9 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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France to close up to 500 schools on Monday over student protests
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Teenager loses hand during French school protests, official says
France to shutter up to 500 schools as more student protests called - Al Jazeera
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