In France, a 15-year-old student lost a hand during protests — The Guardian

In the city of Lens in northern France, a 15-year-old participant in protests over the condition of schools lost a hand. Local prefect François-Xavier Lauch reported the incident on Monday, October 5. According to The Guardian, the local newspaper La Voix du Nord wrote that the teenager picked up a police stun grenade. According to the prefect, an investigation has been launched.

School blockades continue

On Monday, hundreds of schools in France were fully or partially closed as teenagers blocked them during the protests. The education minister said that between 400 and 500 out of 3,700 high schools were to remain closed or operate with restrictions.

The protests began in late September at a high school in the Paris suburbs due to a shortage of teachers and later spread across the country. Students are also expressing dissatisfaction with social inequality and insufficient investment in education. Participants in the blockades complained about leaks in classrooms, cockroaches, collapsing ceilings and unbearable summer heat.

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Since last Monday, about 5,000 people, mostly teenagers, have been detained in France, and dozens of people have been injured. The family of a 16-year-old student from Tours filed a complaint over police actions after the boy lost sight in his right eye. A prosecutor said that the nature of the injuries was consistent with being struck by a police rubber bullet; a police investigation is also ongoing.

The government promised to consider the demands

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called the schoolchildren's grievances justified and instructed ministers to work on the protesters' five main demands. These include replacing absent teachers, reviewing the lengthy school day and repairing neglected school buildings. Ministers must submit proposals by the end of the month.

Student unions called for a nationwide day of protest on Tuesday. Trade unions, teachers, public sector workers and parents' associations are expected to join the support marches. University students also joined the protests on Monday: up to 40 university buildings were blocked across the country.