French student protests continue: Over 6,800 detained, 86% minors; 15-year-old loses hand to police stun grenade

According to The Hindu, since French high school students began blocking school gates at the end of September, tens of thousands have taken to the streets nationwide. France's Ministry of Justice announced on October 9 that over 6,800 people have been detained since the protests began, of which 86% are minors—most of these students aged between 15 and 18.

The students' core grievances center on chronic teacher absences, overloaded class schedules, deteriorating classrooms and school buildings, and structures ill-equipped to cope with rising temperatures. But after some protests escalated into arson and the destruction of bus shelters, the police response escalated in turn: tear gas, batons and concussion grenades were deployed extensively. Human rights groups and minors have accused police of excessive use of force.

On October 5, a 15-year-old student in Paris lost a hand after police fired a stun grenade, prompting the government to subsequently announce a suspension of the weapon's use. According to The Hindu, police have launched 18 internal investigations into allegations of misconduct; the accounts of the incident given by the injured student's family and the protesters await final determination through internal investigation and judicial proceedings.

Spokesperson for a UN human rights body Shabia Mantoo said on October 9: "We are following with concern some of the events linked to the student protests and high school blockades in France, some of which have turned violent." She urged all sides to exercise restraint. Whether this statement will escalate further into a formal investigation or human rights review remains unknown.

While seeking to calm the protests, the French government has offered limited concessions. Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced on the evening of October 8 that approximately 3,000 substitute teachers would be dispatched over the coming days to the 114 most affected high schools to fill vacancies. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu pledged to unveil a crisis-response plan by the end of October. Economy Minister Roland Lescure said the demands for school resources would be addressed within a "highly strained" 2027 budget framework.

But according to The Hindu, in the current draft budget, the 1.4% increase in education funding—bringing the total to 90.9 billion euros—ranks second among all departments, still trailing the increase in defense spending. This fiscal prioritization, together with the police deployment of weapons capable of causing grievous injury at protest sites densely populated by minors, forms the core backdrop to the students' continued protests.

According to Agence France-Presse, the students have not backed down. Several students told AFP that they are "saving their strength" for next week, with organizers having called for a new round of mass demonstrations. In Toulouse, a 16-year-old student said: "We are saving our strength for next week." Marseille high school student Alice considered the Education Minister's announcement as "a first step, but far from enough." Student representative Marius Mesnil bluntly said that what officials have offered is only "a few crumbs."

Of France's 3,700 high schools, only 141 were closed on October 9—a sharp drop from roughly 800 a week earlier. The authorities have chosen to respond to the school blockades dominated by minors with stun grenades, and have placed the defense increase ahead of education in the 2027 budget—neither choice has been reversed. Organizers have called for a new round of mass demonstrations next week.