Key facts
- A 14-year-old boy, Eden, sustained a broken jaw and multiple smashed teeth from a tear gas canister fired by police during student protests in France.
- Eden's family has filed a complaint for attempted murder.
- The officer involved in the incident is under formal investigation for assault resulting in permanent disability or disfigurement.
- France's internal police watchdog, IGPN, is investigating 24 cases related to the policing of student unrest.
- A total of 28 injuries due to police force have been documented, with 15 under IGPN investigation.
- Human rights groups and some politicians are calling for a ban on 'less lethal' weapons like rubber bullets and grenade launchers.
Fourteen-year-old Eden suffered a broken jaw and multiple smashed teeth when a police officer fired a tear gas canister at him during student protests in France last week. His parents and family lawyer stated that the teenager was sitting on a wall, looking at his phone, meters away from the protest in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumone when the incident occurred.
According to the local prosecutor, Eden responded with a kick after an officer initially struck him with a baton. A second officer then fired a tear gas grenade, hitting him in the face. The family has filed a complaint for attempted murder, with their lawyer stating the officer "shot him in the mouth and left him lying on the ground, without even calling the emergency services."
A police spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. The officer involved stated he was acting in self-defense after the student confronted police. The officer has been placed under formal investigation for assault by a public official resulting in permanent disability or disfigurement.
Eden's case is one of 24 under investigation by the IGPN, France's internal police watchdog, related to over two weeks of student unrest over school conditions. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has described the demonstrations as the most violent in decades.
Reuters has documented 28 cases of injuries resulting from police force, including the loss or injury of an eye due to rubber bullets and a 15-year-old's hand being blown off, likely by a stun grenade. Interior minister Laurent Nunez stated that about 200 students have been injured, but attributed it rarely to police action. He also noted that 700 police officers have been injured and 6,877 people, mostly minors, have been arrested.
Researchers and rights groups have criticized France's use of "less lethal" weapons, such as rubber bullets and grenade launchers, noting they are not commonly used in many other European countries and have led to severe injuries. In another incident in Argenteuil, a 16-year-old student on his way home suffered an eye injury that may be permanent, potentially from a rubber bullet.
Human rights advocates and some politicians are calling for a permanent ban on these weapons, while police unions argue they are necessary for maintaining order and ensuring officer safety. Police union representative Thierry Clair stated that removing these intermediate force options would leave only lethal force as a response.