French lawyers and rights groups say several teenagers have suffered war-like injuries from police weapons used during school protests, and an unprecedented number of children have been held in police custody, some of whom reported being hit or racially insulted.
The interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, told the senate that police had opened internal investigations into 36 allegations of officer violence against demonstrators, including four children allegedly "mutilated" by explosive weapons and six sustaining "significant injuries", as well as complaints over physical blows, insults or alleged sexual assault.
Hundreds of high schools across the country have been blockaded during the movement, with students demanding the replacement of absent teachers and repairs to decrepit buildings.
Among the injured is Evan, a 15-year-old carpentry student, who lost his left hand, several fingers from his right hand and suffered further injuries when a police stun grenade exploded outside a school protest in Lens on 5 October. His lawyer, Bertrand Wattez, said: "His injuries resemble war injuries." Wattez said Evan had gone to school to attend class and discovered a protest under way, had not taken part in violence, and denied the state prosecutor's assertion that the grenade had been picked up from the ground. Evan remained in hospital and his family has filed a criminal complaint.
Eden, 14, suffered extensive facial injuries, including two fractures to his jaw and the loss of his bottom teeth, with all top teeth broken, after being hit by a shot from a grenade launcher near a protest in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône, north-west of Paris. His lawyer, Elsa Marcel, said the shot was fired from close range, about 1.5 metres. "This is the equivalent of war weaponry," she said. The family has filed a legal complaint for attempted murder.
Video footage appeared to show Eden facing three riot police officers, with one officer hitting out in his direction with a truncheon and Eden kicking toward the police before a grenade shot was fired. An officer has been suspended and placed under official investigation. Eden's parents said he had gone to school but found it blockaded and wanted to go home.