French Police Use Force During Student Protests, Resulting in Severe Injuries and Legal Action
French police used force during student protests, causing 28 reported injuries, including a 14-year-old student named Eden who suffered a broken jaw and lost teeth after being hit by a tear gas grenade. The French Interior Minister and human rights organizations have criticized the use of force, while investigations into 24 cases are ongoing. Eden's family filed a murder complaint against the officer involved.
Where Sources Diverge
Reuters reported 28 cases of injuries, while the French police's internal affairs bureau reported 24 cases under investigation.
Reuters reported 28 cases of injuries.
The National Police Inspectorate has opened investigations into 24 cases related to the security response to these disturbances.
The cause of the injury to the 15-year-old student in Reims is not definitively determined.
The investigation had not yet definitively determined the conditions of the injury or the precise mechanism that led to the loss of the student's hand.
The National Police Inspectorate has opened investigations into 24 cases related to the security response to these disturbances.
The cause of the injury to the 16-year-old student in Argentoi district is not determined.
The cause of the projectile was not determined.
The National Police Inspectorate has opened investigations into 24 cases related to the security response to these disturbances.
The use of rubber bullets and grenade launchers by French police is under scrutiny due to human rights concerns.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and UN human rights experts, have previously criticized the use of these weapons.
French police are facing increasing scrutiny over their methods of intervention during the student protests.
Sources
French police are facing increasing scrutiny over their methods of intervention during the student protests that have been taking place in the country for more than two weeks, following incidents in which several youths suffered serious injuries. The National Police Inspectorate has opened investigations into 24 cases related to the security response to these disturbances, according to reports by the agency 'Reuters'. Among the cases that have sparked controversy is the injury of the boy Eden, [...]
Mohamed.Nadir 10/10/2026 - 14:28 Sports French police tactics during student protests are facing mounting criticism, amid reports of severe injuries that have affected even the palace, reigniting the debate over the use of specialized weapons for dispersing protesters and whether the force used was proportionate to the situation. These developments come in the context of student protests that erupted late last September, demanding improved study conditions and increased resources for schools, amid complaints about a shortage of teachers and deteriorating school buildings. Reuters reported in an investigation published today that it documented 28 cases of injuries caused by the use of force by security forces, while 24 cases related to security interventions are under investigation by the French police's internal affairs bureau. The agency's report includes 15 cases within ongoing investigations. The injuries varied, including those caused by rubber bullets, sound grenades, tear gas, batons, and interventions using horses. Among the most notable cases was the injury of student Eden, 14 years old, who suffered a broken jaw and lost several teeth after being hit by a tear gas grenade fired by a police officer from close range in the city of Saint-Ouen-l'École. According to Reuters, based on the family's statements and the lawyer's testimony, the student was sitting on a wall and checking his phone several meters away from the protest site before being subjected to the violent security intervention. The family filed a complaint under the charge of attempted murder, while the officer is under official investigation for suspected acts of violence as a public employee, which caused a disability or permanent injury. In a report published two days ago, the Associated Press covered the aftermath of the student's injury, quoting his mother that he underwent surgery and is now unable to speak or eat without the use of a suction device. The report also included testimonies from lawyers of some detained minors, which included criticism of the conditions of their detention, including the length of time they spent in cells and threats they said some of them faced. The injuries were not limited to this case; in the city of Reims, a 15-year-old teenager lost one of his hands in an incident likely linked to a sound grenade. The British newspaper The Guardian reported that French Interior Minister Laurent Nouni commented on the use of sound grenades during student protests following the incident, until the circumstances were clarified. The coverage confirmed that the investigation had not yet definitively determined the conditions of the injury or the precise mechanism that led to the loss of the student's hand. Reuters also reported that a 16-year-old student was injured in the eye in the Argentoi district, with a possibility of permanent disability, without the cause of the projectile being determined. The agency also mentioned two other cases in which individuals suffered eye injuries or lost their sight due to rubber bullets. These incidents have reignited the debate over the use of rubber bullets and grenade launchers by French police during 'law and order' operations. Reuters noted that human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and UN human rights experts, have previously criticized the use of these weapons due to their risks, while human rights organizations and politicians have called for a complete ban.