French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has defended the actions taken by police during student protests after tragic incidents involving a teenager losing a hand and another losing sight in one eye. These injuries were caused by a police grenade and a projectile, respectively.
In a parliamentary session, Lecornu rejected claims of police brutality and state repression. He emphasized that police action is prompted by urban violence. “Can accidents happen? The answer is yes,” Lecornu stated.
Incident Context
During the violent clashes, French riot police faced arson and vandalism. According to Lecornu and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, the police operated within their authority. Nuñez described the police response as proportional in most cases.
Lecornu also criticized the opposition party France Unbowed for allegedly using the protests to gain political leverage ahead of the presidential election.
Student Protest Scale
The French government is under strain, with over 6,500 arrests reported, many of them minors. Hundreds of injuries were recorded as students rallied for improved school funding and conditions. Lecornu reported that 215 students and 85 school staff members were injured, with 715 police officers also affected. He acknowledged the necessity for a political response to the concerns expressed by students.
On the day of Lecornu’s statements, demonstrations included numerous unions, teachers’ groups, and left-wing party members joining with students. The Interior Ministry recorded 266,000 demonstrators nationwide, including 56,000 in Paris.
While most of the Paris protest remained peaceful, some smaller groups clashed with riot police later on.
Response to Specific Incidents
A 15-year-old boy in northern France was injured by a police grenade explosion. The circumstances of how the grenade was handled are unclear, with a prosecutor unable to confirm whether the student picked it up or if it was thrown at him.
In Tours, a 16-year-old lost sight in one eye after being struck by a projectile. This could have been fired from a sub-lethal weapon used by the police during riots.
Boris Vallaud of the Socialist group in parliament announced plans to present legislation regulating the use of sub-lethal weapons at protests, due to their potential for causing severe injuries.