Teen protests spark rising fear as police clashes leave several minors seriously injured

A mother who also serves as a FCPE delegate in the Puy-de-Dôme expressed deep concern that her son, who has been attending high-school protests for about fifteen days, might become permanently disabled after confronting armed CRS forces. While she denounces all forms of violence, she emphasizes that the majority of police officers are doing their jobs, leading many parents to now escort their children to demonstrations.

Since the start of the student movement, at least four minors have been severely injured: a hand was torn off by a stun grenade in Lens, a jaw was fractured in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône, an eye was pierced in Tours, and another serious injury occurred in Argenteuil. Sebastian Roché, a CNRS research director, highlighted that such a concentration of youth mutilations within ten days is unprecedented. Authorities have opened an inquiry to ascertain the exact role of law-enforcement in these attacks.