French police excessive force against minors is the central human-rights concern raised by the high-school protests now entering their third week. France’s Justice Ministry reports that 5,060 people have been arrested, 87 per cent of them minors, and more than 1,800 are being prosecuted, including 1,483 minors. Rights groups accuse police of heavy-handed tactics against minors, including batons, tear gas and flash-ball guns.
Finn Right is deeply concerned by reported serious injuries to adolescents. It also recognises that some protests have involved arson, damage to schools and injuries to staff.
This report rests on public media reporting and official statements. Finn Right has not independently verified individual incidents, and every allegation below remains an allegation until established by an independent inquiry.
Background
The protests began on 28 September among students angry at overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and dilapidated school buildings.
Around 10 per cent of the country’s 3,700 lycées were forecast to stay shut on 2 October, and the demonstrations have since reached towns and cities nationwide.
Government ministers have accused the hard-left party La France Insoumise of stoking the protests, which the party denies. Finn Right takes no position on that political dispute.
Police Force: Complaints and Allegations
The French Human Rights League has accused security forces of disproportionate methods against protesters, many of whom are legally minors.
France’s police oversight body, the IGPN, has opened at least four investigations into injuries to minors, in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône, Tours, Argenteuil and Lens, with two more under way in Sevran and Saint-Denis.
Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône (14-year-old student). On 28 September a 14-year-old was hit in the face by a projectile fired from a police launcher. His lawyer reports a double jaw fracture and many broken teeth. According to the prosecutor, the teenager had struck a police unit leader before a second officer fired. The IGPN is examining the shot, a separate inquiry covers the violence attributed to the teenager, and the Défenseur des droits has taken up the case. The exact circumstances remain to be established.
Lens (15-year-old student). On 5 October a 15-year-old lost a hand and part of his lower arm. Local media and a police union source say he picked up a police grenade that then detonated. The facts remain unconfirmed by any independent inquiry.
Argenteuil (16-year-old student). A 16-year-old was reportedly hit in the eye by a flash-ball shot near two high schools.
Under international standards, force must be necessary, proportionate and a last resort, and special care is required when dealing with children.
Violence Against Public Order and Staff
Finn Right condemns violence from any side. The Education Minister reports that 24 schools have been burned or ransacked, 78 teaching staff injured and at least 190 students injured. A police spokesperson separately reported more than 600 police officers and gendarmes injured, a figure Finn Right has not independently verified.
Protesters have lit fires and used fireworks against police in several cities. These acts do not remove the state’s duty to use force lawfully and proportionately.
Finn Right’s Position and Recommendations
Finn Right calls upon the relevant French authorities to:
- Ensure independent investigations. Order transparent inquiries into every case of serious injury to a minor, with oversight beyond police internal bodies, and publish the findings.
- Guarantee accountability and redress. Hold anyone found to have used unlawful force accountable, and provide victims with compensation, medical care and rehabilitation.
- Protect peaceful protest. Distinguish peaceful students from violent individuals, apply de-escalation methods, and reconsider the use of flash-ball launchers and grenade launchers in crowds that include children.
- Uphold children’s rights in justice. Ensure detained minors have legal assistance, contact with parents and treatment consistent with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Review the planned bill making minors or their parents financially liable for damage, to ensure it respects proportionality.
- Address the root causes. Open dialogue on classroom overcrowding, teacher shortages and school buildings, rather than relying on enforcement measures alone.
- French Police
FAQs:
How many people have been arrested?
The Justice Ministry reports 5,060 arrests, 87 per cent of them minors.
Has police misconduct been proven?
No. Investigations are under way, and the allegations have not been adjudicated.
What are the protesters demanding?
Smaller classes, more teachers and repairs to school buildings.
Conclusion
The allegations of French police excessive force against minors during the school protests raise serious human-rights concerns that call for prompt, impartial scrutiny. Teenagers have reportedly suffered grave injuries, and the circumstances of each case remain disputed and unresolved.
At the same time, arson, damage to schools and injuries to staff are unacceptable, and nothing in this report excuses violence from any side.
The right to protest peacefully, the duty to protect children, and the principles of necessity and proportionality in the use of force must guide the response of the state.
Finn Right calls upon the French authorities to ensure independent investigations, accountability where unlawful force is established, proper care and redress for those injured, and a dialogue that addresses the classroom conditions behind the protests.
Transparency and respect for the rights of every young person are essential to restoring public trust. Finn Right will continue to monitor developments closely.
French school protests have also raised broader concerns about police conduct, crowd control measures and the protection of students’ rights.
Finn Right International – Human Rights Commission Finland