Teenager loses forearm in Lens protest grenade blast

A 15-year-old boy was seriously injured on Monday, October 5, in Lens, France, when a disencirclement grenade exploded in his hand during a high school protest, severing his forearm. He was rushed to a hospital in Lille. The incident occurred near Lycée Auguste Behal during a demonstration of 150 to 200 students, who the prefect said threw objects at police. A witness reported the grenade was launched at the group and exploded upon impact with the victim's hand. The prefect confirmed the severity of the injury and the boy's transfer for specialized care. France's police oversight body, the IGPN, has opened an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the incident.