A 15‑year‑old student in Lens, a northern French town, was found with a shattered hand after a sting‑ball grenade burst beside him amid the school‑blockade protests that have crippled lessons nationwide. The grenade, reportedly fired by riot police, exploded when the teenager reached for it in the hallway of a closed lycée.
The unrest began on September 17 in Créteil when teachers struck over staffing shortages and dilapidated facilities. Since then, 400 of France's 3,700 high schools have been partially or fully closed, 24 have been burned or ransacked, and more than 5,000 people—85 percent minors—have been arrested.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu unveiled a timetable to fill long‑term teacher gaps and introduced a draft law that could hold families financially liable for damage to public property. "When 14‑, 15‑, 16‑year‑olds are burning bus shelters at 9 am, that raises the question of parental responsibility," spokeswoman Maud Bregeon told Europe1.
A police union source confirmed the teenager had picked up the grenade, and the incident has prompted an internal investigation. A preliminary court hearing is set for June 5, where prosecutors will determine whether the student or the police action contributed to the explosion.