this post was submitted on 05 Oct 2026
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A 15-year-old student has had their hand blown off after picking up a stun grenade being used by police as mass school protests continue across France, local authorities said.

The incident comes as nearly 500 schools are expected to be completely or partially closed following student protests across the country over dilapidated schools and classrooms, overcrowding and teacher shortages preceding a nationwide day of demonstrations on Tuesday.

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[–] medicsofanarchy@lemmy.world 163 points 3 weeks ago (15 children)

Important safety tip. If you plan on throwing stuff back at the cops, stun grenades, tear gas canisters, etc, use a lacrosse stick.

Of course, having a lacrosse stick in a riot is an excuse for them to beat you mercilessly.

Of course, they don't need an excuse.

[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 88 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I imagine the student thought it was a tear gas canister instead of the cops throwing explosives at children.

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[–] scutiger@lemmy.world 74 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

In the comments, it's mentioned that the police claim that he picked up the grenade, but there is an investigation into whether that is the case or it was launched at him directly.

[–] TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today 48 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Most of the patients I've had who became upper limb amputees from explosives had a closed hand around the explosive when it happened. You can hold something like a fire cracker in an open palm and walk away with mild burns. However, if you were holding the same firecracker in a closed fist I would be fitting you with a prosthetic in a few weeks.

Now I'm not sure exactly how much energy a stun grenade goes off with, but usually if the limb is irreparably damaged without also causing other bodily trauma, the patient was probably holding the device when it went off.

[–] brachypelmide@lemmy.zip 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

You can hold something like a fire cracker in an open palm and walk away with mild burns

I can attest that because I blew myself up with a pistol flare in 2025 (long and stupid story). My left hand at the moment of the explosion was half-stretched out and the charge blew up a few centimeters below my hand. Only superficial burns to the hand and permanent hearing damage.

If I had the charge in a closed fist, it would have easily torn a hole through my hand. And that was just 2 grams NEC. A stun grenade is much more powerful than a pistol flare (my completely random guess: 20g NEC equivalent), so I reckon that eviscerating the entire hand is not out of the question.

[–] TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today 17 points 3 weeks ago

It doesn't take much depending on the hand position when it goes off. We usually get about 2-3 people blowing up their hands in the trauma ward every year at the hospital during the 4th of July.

[–] x00z@lemmy.world 42 points 3 weeks ago

Regardless of whether the kid picked up the grenade, the mere fact that the grenade was launched towards kid is already crossing the line. They always try to make the people focus other things. It doesn't even matter to them whether it was shot at him or he picked it up. As long as the focus does not lie on them shooting the thing in the first place.

[–] Lampadaire_raclette@jlai.lu 11 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Some witness says the genade landed directly in his hand

[–] yesman@lemmy.world 29 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

That's a weird way to say he caught it. The first sentence of the article says he picked it up. He doesn't have to be a perfect victim to deserve sympathy or hold the pigs to account.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 15 points 3 weeks ago

mmm catching a grenade wouldn't make him any less a victim. They launched a less lethal device close enough to someone for them to catch it, can't really go target blaming.

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[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 16 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

If in Canada, I would recommend a hockey stick. You can open carry those.

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[–] SilverCode@lemmy.ml 16 points 3 weeks ago

Of course, having a lacrosse stick in a riot is an excuse for them to beat you mercilessly.

Depends on the country I guess. Carrying a Lacrosse stick could signal that you are white and rich, so cops can leave you be.

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[–] Cheese_man@lemmy.world 154 points 3 weeks ago (34 children)

So they have money to brutalize children but not to teach them.

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[–] dan1101@lemmy.world 111 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Less lethal weapons can still kill and maim.

[–] ms_lane@lemmy.world 56 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Not even 'can' they're more likely to.

Counterintuitively, 'less lethal' arms can be more lethal, since people fire them with impunity.

[–] zurohki@aussie.zone 29 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I heard once that boxing gloves made boxing more dangerous, because previously punching someone in the head would hurt your hands so you'd focus on their chest and belly. With gloves you were free to give them a brain injury instead.

[–] Furbag@pawb.social 15 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

That is true. Bare knuckle boxing is ironically safer for the athletes in the long term and avoids CTE/TBI related complications.

Boxing gloves became popular because it protected the hands from getting cut up when striking the skull, allowing prizefighters to have more bouts without having to wait for their hands to heal between each.

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[–] TribblesBestFriend@startrek.website 67 points 3 weeks ago (21 children)
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[–] blazeknave@lemmy.world 53 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (10 children)

Almost melted my skin off picking up tear gas at Occupy Oakland. There were flash bangs. I hadn't even considered what if I didn't realize what I was grabbing.

Edit: same night I watch a decorated military officer in full regalia get shot point blank with non lethal shotgun. Right near the center of his chest iirc

[–] Sackett@thelemmy.club 26 points 3 weeks ago (14 children)

I felt so optimistic during the Occupy protests. For a second it felt like we were going to make meaningful change.

[–] wazoobonkerbrain@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

God damn, me too. In my lifetime, that was the movement that resonated with me the most. They beat the shit out of those people.

[–] mirshafie@europe.pub 15 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

They've seized power by violent means and they aren't going to cede power peacefully.

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[–] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

That's why they're supposed to call it "less lethal" now. It gives them a loophole

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[–] Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca 40 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

This is why a lacross stick is a good tool at a protest. You can scoop and launch the grenade back without it getting in your hand.

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[–] codydodd@lemmy.ca 27 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I mean. Did they try making sure billionaires get more while continuing to deprive the working class?

Centrist governments the world over, creating fertile grounds for fascist swings. Because centrists protect wealth inequality. Which is a tragedy of course because these fascist swings make wealth inequality even worse.

[–] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

When the French gave up on the ~~Jillet~~ Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) demonstrations in the face of Macron's pushback instead of doubling down, this shit is what they were setting themselves for.

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[–] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 weeks ago
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