Watch: France halts use of stun grenades after boy's hand blown off in student protests

A 15-year-old student protesting in Lens, northern France, had his hand blown off on Monday when he picked up a stun grenade that police had deployed during school protests. The incident occurred as thousands of French high schools entered their third week of closures and disruptions over poor classroom conditions, including understaffing and dilapidated facilities.

According to the education minister Edouard Geffray, about 400 out of 3,700 high schools remained fully or partially closed on Monday. Since protests began in late September, at least 215 students and 715 police officers have been injured, with some suffering severe injuries like the loss of an eye.

The unrest has intensified concerns about public finances, pushing yields on France’s 10-year bonds to a 24-year high over five percent last week. Six months before a pivotal election next year, President Emmanuel Macron's government and the far-right National Rally party accuse hard-left activists of inflaming tensions among students. However, student leaders reject these claims and continue to demand improved learning conditions. Education Minister Geffray has announced plans for an online platform where students can voice their grievances directly to the government. Despite this initiative, many protesters remain skeptical about its effectiveness.