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Teenager has hand blown off during French school protests, official says

By Thomson Reuters Oct 5, 2026 | 6:11 AM

(Corrects attribution to teenager picking up stun ​grenade to ‌La Voix du Nord, not the prefect)

PARIS, Oct 5 (Reuters) – ‌A ​15-year-old protesting ⁠against France’s ⁠dilapidated and understaffed schools had his hand blown off ​on Monday in the ⁠northern town ⁠of Lens, ​the local prefect ​François-Xavier Lauch said.

Local newspaper ‌La Voix du Nord reported that the ⁠teenager lost his hand after picking up a ⁠police ‌stun grenade.

Lauch ⁠said an ​investigation ‌into the incident ​had ⁠been opened.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro, Editing by Gabriel Stargardter and Richard ​Lough)