Protester loses hand to police grenade in Saint-Étienne

A protester in Saint-Étienne had his hand torn off by a police grenade on Saturday, October 17, during a national demonstration against the high cost of living. The man reportedly picked up the grenade before it exploded. The prefecture confirmed a young man in his twenties was seriously injured and transported to the local university hospital. Medical staff at the scene said his right hand was shredded, and he told them he had picked up the grenade. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had authorized the use of stun grenades for "extremely serious urban violence" during the day's protests, after suspending them following a similar incident in Lens on October 7. The Saint-Étienne protest also saw clashes, broken storefronts, and destroyed street furniture.