French police under scrutiny after serious injuries during student protests

French police are facing growing scrutiny over their handling of student protests that have continued for more than two weeks, with the General Inspectorate of the National Police investigating 24 cases tied to the unrest, Reuters reported.

One case involves Eden, a 14-year-old boy who suffered a broken jaw and several smashed teeth after a police officer fired a tear gas canister toward him at close range during protests in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône last week.

According to the family’s lawyer, Eden was sitting on a wall looking at his phone, meters from the protest, when an officer approached and struck him with a baton. 

The teenager kicked the officer in response before a second officer fired a tear gas grenade, hitting him in the face.

“(The officer) shot him in the mouth and left him lying on the ground, without even calling the emergency services,” the lawyer said, according to Reuters, while the prosecutor’s office clarified in a statement that “the student had confronted the police ​and the officers tried to push him back.”

His family has filed a complaint for attempted murder.

The officer was placed under formal investigation on Tuesday on suspicion of assault by a public official causing permanent disability or disfigurement.

Reuters documented 28 cases of injuries linked to the police force, 15 of which are under IGPN investigation. 

The cases involved rubber bullets, stun grenades, tear gas, batons, and mounted police.

Two people suffered eye injuries from rubber bullets, including one who lost an eye. 

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez also said a 15-year-old boy had lost a hand in Lens in an incident believed to involve a stun grenade, prompting him to suspend the weapon’s use temporarily.

Nunez said around 200 students had been injured during the protests, but argued that police were rarely the cause.

Authorities also reported injuries among around 700 police officers and 6,877 arrests, most involving minors.