France Suspends Stun Grenade Use by Police as Student Protest Crisis Deepens

France has temporarily barred its police forces from deploying stun grenades during student demonstrations, the country's interior minister announced on Wednesday, as authorities faced mounting allegations of excessive force following days of nationwide unrest tied to education funding.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed the suspension during an early morning interview with radio broadcaster RTL, saying the measure would remain in place while the government assesses the volatile situation on the ground. The decision marks a significant concession by an administration that has repeatedly denied ordering any form of police repression against protesters.

The announcement followed a massive day of action on Tuesday, when hundreds of thousands of students, parents, teachers and union members marched through Paris and other French cities. Demonstrators demanded increased funding for education and improved conditions in the country's high schools, which have become the focal point of a protest movement that began in late September.

President Emmanuel Macron responded to the escalation by convening an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu and other senior ministers, seeking to defuse a crisis that has increasingly strained relations between the government and young people. Lecornu was scheduled to deliver a public address later on Wednesday covering both the school protests and the nation's financial situation, according to his office.

The move to suspend stun grenade use came after a series of injuries that have shocked the public. On Monday in the northern city of Lens, a 15-year-old demonstrator lost a hand when police fired a stun grenade. Days earlier, a 14-year-old student was struck in the face by a tear gas grenade at extremely close range, resulting in the loss of several teeth. A police officer was charged on Tuesday in connection with that incident in Paris.

Nunez revealed that police have opened 18 internal investigations into allegations of misconduct since the protests erupted. Human rights organizations, student groups and parents' associations have collectively accused authorities of using disproportionate force, particularly against minors who make up a large share of the demonstrators.

The government has pushed back against that characterization, maintaining that the protest movement has been infiltrated by outside elements and has mutated into sporadic urban violence. Prime Minister Lecornu on Tuesday condemned the violence while rejecting claims that his government had directed police repression against protesters. He told lawmakers that violent acts would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

The scale of the unrest is reflected in official figures. The Interior Ministry reported that 6,100 people have been arrested since the protests began last month, with the overwhelming majority being minors. The Justice Ministry said more than 1,800 individuals are being prosecuted, including 1,483 minors, though it did not specify the nature of the crimes involved.

Casualties have mounted on both sides. According to Lecornu's office, at least 715 police officers and 215 teenagers have been injured in clashes. The figures underscore the intensity of confrontations that have broken out sporadically amid what have otherwise been largely peaceful marches across the country.

The protests originated in late September, when students began blocking entrances to hundreds of high schools serving 15- to 17-year-olds. Their grievances centered on dilapidated school facilities and a shortage of teachers, along with demands for greater government investment in education. What started as localized school blockades gradually expanded into a broader social movement.

On Tuesday, parents, teachers and unionized workers joined the demonstrations in Paris and other cities, transforming the student-led action into a wider expression of discontent with the government's education policies. The participation of adult allies added political weight to the students' demands and increased pressure on the administration to respond.

The suspension of stun grenades represents a tactical shift for French law enforcement, which has relied on such devices for crowd control during periods of civil unrest. Stun grenades, which produce a loud bang and bright flash rather than lethal fragments, are designed to disorient crowds but can cause severe injuries when deployed at close range or directed at individuals.

The crisis has also raised questions about the treatment of minors in protest settings, a sensitive issue in a country that has seen repeated debates over policing tactics during demonstrations. The charge against a police officer over the tear gas grenade incident suggests that judicial authorities are willing to hold individual officers accountable, even as the government defends its overall approach.

With Lecornu set to address the nation, attention now turns to whether the government will offer concrete measures on education funding or maintain its hardline stance on public order. The prime minister's dual focus on school protests and the country's finances hints at the broader budgetary pressures shaping the government's response.

For now, the temporary ban on stun grenades serves as both a confidence-building measure and a recognition that the situation requires de-escalation. Whether it will be enough to calm tensions and bring students back to the negotiating table remains uncertain, as the movement shows few signs of fading and the government faces the delicate task of restoring order without further inflaming public anger.