Teenager’s hand blown off in school protest clash in Lens, France

Mon Oct 05 2026 19:37:13 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 15‑year-old loses a hand amid a police‑student confrontation during nationwide school protests in France.

A 15‑year‑old boy suffered a crushed hand in Lens after a police‑student clash erupting over a school protest. The prefect of Pas‑de‑Calais described the incident as very serious, but reassured that the boy’s life was not in danger. Mixed reports suggest a stun grenade was involved, but details remain unclear. The incident occurred during a mass protest outside Auguste Béhal high school, amid a national shutdown of around 500 schools. The French police watchdog IGPN will investigate the event.

Teenager’s hand blown off in school protest clash in Lens, France

A 15‑year‑old boy lost part of his hand when a confrontation between police and student demonstrators escalated near a school in the north‑eastern city of Lens on Monday morning.

Prefect François‑Xavier Lauch called the incident a "very serious" event and said the teenager’s life was not in danger, noting he was moved quickly to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The crisis unfolded outside Auguste Béhal high school, a place that has already become a flashpoint as student protests over school building conditions and staff shortages continue nationwide. Roughly 500 schools were partially or fully closed across France that day amid the nationwide demonstrations.

Details of how the boy sustained the injury are still emerging. A regional newspaper reported that he lost his hand after handling a police stun grenade, but official sources have yet to confirm the exact circumstances.

"Investigations will be conducted by the General Inspection of the National Police (IGPN)," a regional prosecutor said.

Prefect Lauch described the morning as beginning with students throwing a variety of projectiles—stones, fireworks and mortars—at police officers already on site. In response, the interdepartmental director of the National Police, with his approval, ordered a company of CRs riot police to maintain order, during which the incident occurred.

Auguste Béhal high school issued a statement declaring that, "In light of the events and to ensure the safety of the entire school community, we are switching to distance learning from now on," and added that a listening and support unit has been established to aid students during this tense period.