French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu defended the police response to student protests after severe injuries were reported among teenagers. He stated that accidents can occur during operations triggered by urban violence, rejecting accusations of state repression or police brutality.
Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Lecornu argued that the term "police brutality" implies officers were instructed to use force, a premise he disputed. He said, "What triggers police action is the occurrence of urban violence." The Prime Minister added that while accidents happen, the police acted within their authority in response to arson and vandalism.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez supported this position, describing the police response as proportionate in almost all cases. The government maintains that the demonstrations were met with necessary force due to violent acts by some participants. Lecornu also accused the opposition party France Unbowed of exploiting the protests to create chaos ahead of next year’s presidential election.
President Emmanuel Macron called an emergency meeting with senior ministers to address the political fallout from the nationwide demonstrations. The government faces mounting pressure as students demand better funding and learning conditions in schools. More than 6,500 people have been arrested since the protests began, with most being minors, according to the Associated Press.
Lecornu acknowledged the human cost of the unrest, stating that 215 students and 85 school staff members had been injured. His office reported that 715 police officers were also injured during the disturbances. The Prime Minister expressed hope that the government could provide a political response to the anxiety felt by high school students.
The Interior Ministry estimated that 266,000 people participated in demonstrations nationwide on Tuesday, including 56,000 in Paris. While the Paris demonstration was largely peaceful, smaller groups later clashed with riot police. Demonstrators from various French unions, teachers’ groups, and left-wing parties joined high school and university students in the streets.
The movement originated at high schools in the Paris region in mid-September before spreading across France. Recent incidents have drawn international attention to the safety of minors during these protests. On Monday, a 15-year-old boy in northern France lost a hand after a police grenade exploded during a protest. A prosecutor stated it was unclear whether the student picked up the grenade or if it was thrown at him.
In Tours, a 16-year-old lost sight in one eye after being struck by a projectile. The prosecutor noted the projectile may have been fired from a sub-lethal riot-control weapon used by police. In response, Boris Vallaud, leader of the center-left Socialist group in parliament, said lawmakers would introduce legislation to restrict the use of such weapons at student demonstrations. He warned that these devices can cause irreversible injuries.