French Officer Under Fire for Grenade Launcher Incident During Protest

A police officer in France has drawn widespread condemnation after firing a grenade launcher at a teenage protester at close range, causing severe facial injuries. The incident occurred on Monday in the Val-d'Oise department, outside a high school, amid ongoing student demonstrations across the country.

Video footage shows a confrontation between a police officer and a student, during which the officer throws a punch and the student retaliates with a kick to the abdomen. The officer, standing less than a meter away, then fires the grenade launcher, striking the teenager in the face and knocking him to the ground. The injured student was seen writhing in pain and clutching his face before being helped away by peers.

The boy's mother told the French newspaper Le Parisien that her son's mouth was "torn apart" and that all his upper teeth were broken, with the extent of damage to his lower teeth still unknown.

Two investigations have been launched by the public prosecutor's office to determine the circumstances of the incident. Sophie Binet, Secretary-general of the General Confederation of Labor, described the event as "extremely shocking" and an act of "police brutality," calling for a thorough investigation and appropriate sanctions. She emphasized the importance of allowing students to express their demands democratically.

Students have been protesting nationwide since last week, expressing anger over budget cuts to education. The demonstrations have involved blockades of school entrances, with some instances of fires and clashes with police reported. Up to 10% of high school entrances were reportedly blockaded in Paris. Images from Lille showed burning trash containers outside a school, and reports indicated clashes between police and students in Lyon.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu denounced the protests, particularly instances of violence and fires near high schools, stating that such actions endanger students, staff, and police officers. However, he also acknowledged that the "difficulties of high schools must be heard and addressed."