Stun grenades, severed hand: France's student protests put police under scrutiny

File photo: French CRS riot police run past garbage bins and object set on fire amid clashes with protesters in Paris. France’s crackdown on high school protests is coming under growing scrutiny after several teenagers suffered severe, potentially life-changing injuries during clashes with police.Thousands have also been arrested during the demonstrations aimed at demanding better-funded and better-equipped schools.A 14-year-old boy, identified as Eden, suffered a shattered jaw and severe dental injuries after a police tear gas grenade struck him in the face during the protest. His mother said he underwent surgery and is currently unable to speak or eat normally, relying on a straw for liquids.The police officer who fired the grenade was taken into custody a week later and faces a preliminary charge of violence by a public official resulting in mutilation or permanent disability, an offence punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors said his use of the weapon appeared disproportionate. The officer told investigators he had acted within “a fraction of a second” to protect a female colleague who had exchanged blows with the teenager.Eden’s case is one of several serious inju...