French school protests spread as teenager loses hand in Lens
publishers 52articles 73first reported 28 Sep, 14:12 UTCdeveloping since 28 Sep · 32 editions
A 15-year-old lost a hand during clashes outside a high school in Lens on Monday as student protests over conditions in French schools continued nationwide.
The precise circumstances remain under investigation. A police union source cited by several outlets said the teenager apparently picked up a sting-ball grenade fired by riot police before it exploded. Pas-de-Calais prefect François-Xavier Lauch declined to confirm how the injury occurred, saying protesters had been throwing objects at officers when police intervened.
Since late September, students have blockaded hundreds of high schools, demanding replacements for absent teachers, smaller workloads and improvements to overcrowded, dilapidated buildings that they say are poorly adapted to hot weather. More than 400 of France’s roughly 3,700 high schools were fully or partially closed Monday, according to the Education Ministry. Fires, property damage and confrontations with police have occurred at some schools, including a blaze at a high school in Metz.
Rights groups and unions have criticized police tactics after injuries to minors. Authorities are also investigating an incident in Tours in which a 16-year-old lost sight in one eye; prosecutors said the injury was consistent with a rubber-bullet impact.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called the students’ grievances legitimate and ordered ministers to develop proposals addressing five demands, including absent-teacher replacements, long school days and building repairs, by the end of October. Student unions planned a nationwide day of demonstrations and blockades for Tuesday, with teachers, trade unionists and parents expected to join marches.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 5 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 114 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 52
- Source articles
- 73
- Given to the writer
- 8, 5 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 114 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →