During a wave of student protests across the Paris suburbs, a 14‑year‑old boy identified only as Eden suffered a broken jaw and multiple smashed teeth after a police officer fired a tear‑gas canister at close range. The incident occurred in Saint‑Ouen‑l’Aumône, where Eden was sitting on a wall looking at his phone when an officer approached, struck him with a baton, and then launched a tear‑gas grenade that hit him in the face.
Family lawyer Elsa Marcel said the officer’s actions left Eden on the ground without emergency services being called. The family has filed a complaint for attempted murder. The officer was placed under formal investigation on charges of assault by a public official resulting in permanent disability or disfigurement.
Wider investigation and political context
The case is one of 24 currently under investigation by the IGPN, France’s internal police watchdog, linked to more than two weeks of student unrest over school conditions. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described the demonstrations as the most violent in decades.
Rights groups, including Amnesty International and UN human‑rights experts, have repeatedly criticized France’s use of “less‑lethal” weapons such as rubber bullets, stun grenades, and tear‑gas launchers, calling them dangerous and disproportionate. Police unions argue the tools are necessary to protect officers in violent situations.
Injuries and official responses
Reuters documented 28 cases of injuries caused by police force, including loss of an eye and a 15‑year‑old in Lens who lost a hand, likely from a stun grenade. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said about 200 students had been injured, but that injuries were rarely the result of police action. He emphasized the police’s primary role is to protect high‑school students.
Authorities also reported 700 police officers injured, schools burned or ransacked, and 6,877 arrests, mostly of minors. Researcher Sébastien Roche of the French National Centre for Scientific Research noted that France stands out in Europe for its use of “less‑lethal” weapons, which are rarely employed in Britain, Italy, Germany, and even Spain.
Calls for reform
Mayor Bally Bagayoko of the left‑wing France Unbowed party called for the withdrawal of rubber bullets and a goal of zero injured students, arguing it would help de‑escalate tensions. Police union representative Thierry Clair acknowledged the tragedies but warned that removing intermediate‑force options could leave only lethal force, which he called “inconceivable.”
The debate continues as France approaches the 2027 presidential election, with public anger growing over the government’s handling of the protests and policing tactics.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
