Interior Minister suspends stun grenades for school protests amid rising injuries
Laurent Nuñez announced a temporary ban on stun grenades during the high school movement and said 18 IGPN investigations are now open.
Laurent Nuñez told reporters that stun grenades will no longer be deployed in the context of the high-school mobilisations until the facts surrounding a recent incident in Lens are clarified. He added that 18 separate IGPN inquiries have been opened to examine possible disproportionate force. Since the start of the movement, over 200 pupils have been wounded, including a 15-year-old whose hand was torn off.
The SNPDEN-UNSA union of school principals rejected the government's offer of a half-day of exchange, demanding more substantive measures such as hiring additional teachers and reforming Parcoursup. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to address the protests later, while student and political leaders continue to call for broader educational reforms.
Why it matters
The suspension of stun grenades and new police investigations signal heightened tension over how French authorities manage large-scale student protests.
How the sides frame it
LOW AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage stresses the scale of student injuries and calls for broader education reforms, centrist coverage focuses on the suspension of stun grenades and police investigations, while right-leaning coverage highlights parliamentary hearings of the ministers and frames the protests as a matter of political accountability.
LEFT
Emphasizes the high number of wounded pupils and demands systemic educational reforms
CENTER
Reports the suspension of stun grenades and the opening of multiple police inquiries as a precautionary measure
RIGHT
Centers on the ministers' upcoming parliamentary hearings and portrays the protests as a politically charged issue
The left emphasises
- over 200 pupils have been wounded, including a 15-year-old whose hand was torn off
- student and political leaders continue to call for broader educational reforms
- union of school principals demands hiring more teachers and reforming Parcoursup
The right emphasises
- interior and education ministers will be heard by parliament on the school blockades
- deputies, especially on the left, denounce what they call ‘repression’
- the movement is described as being under high tension
Possibly left out
- Right-leaning coverage reports the ministers' parliamentary hearings, absent from centrist coverage which details the suspension of stun grenades and police investigations
How this story developed
- Sep 28 Education Minister urges calm as high-school blockades turn violent in Île-de-France
- Oct 2 A wave of school blockades across France has escalated into clashes, with a poll showing most citizens blame La France insoumise for encouraging the unrest.
- Oct 2 Prime minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting in response to the escalating protests.
- Oct 3 Students set fires and sprayed petrol on a teacher during the latest clashes.
- Oct 4 The unrest has crossed the border into Belgium, affecting schools in Liège.
- Oct 4 The French education ministry announced that between 400 and 500 secondary schools will be fully or partially closed on Monday because of ongoing teenage protests.
- Oct 4 Student bodies are preparing a fresh nationwide mobilisation on Tuesday.
- Oct 4 The education ministry announced the planned suspension of classes at up to 500 schools for Monday.
- Oct 5 fires were set at the entrances of Vauquelin High School in Paris, Gaston‑Berger High School in Lille and Victor Hugo High School in Caen
- Oct 6 Authorities reported disruptions at 589 lycées and 32 university campuses.
- Oct 6 Students, parents and unions staged nationwide demonstrations, shutting down hundreds of schools as they demand more investment in education.
- Oct 6 The government convened senior ministers for a crisis‑level discussion of the protests.
- Oct 7 President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting with senior ministers to discuss the school protests.
- Oct 7 LFI coordinator Manuel Bompard called the government’s accusations conspiratorial.
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