French Police Investigate Grenade Injury at Lens Student Protest

A grenade explosion at a student protest in Lens, France, tore off the hand of a 15-year-old boy. The national police inspection unit is investigating on suspicion of violence causing permanent mutilation. The incident occurred Monday morning after the teenager reportedly picked up a grenade, which a police union source said was a CRS dispersal device. The boy allegedly tried to throw it back when it exploded, though a witness disputed this account. His life is not in danger, and he was taken to a hospital in Lille. The prosecutor has not confirmed whether the boy picked up the grenade or if it landed on him. The Human Rights League criticized a departure from rule-of-law principles, and around 5,000 people have been arrested since protests began. The boy's vocational school has switched to remote learning.