Tear gas in the face of a 14-year-old... Excessive police crackdown following intensified protests in France

Analysis suggests that excessive police repression also played a role in the recent serious intensification of protests across France.

In the early days of the protests, there were many cases where the police responded excessively to minor students, and it is observed that these incidents served as kindling for the protesters' anger.

According to a video seen by the New York Times (NYT) on the 19th (local time), French police fired tear gas into the face of a 14-year-old boy, Eden (pseudonym), while dispersing a protest that took place at a vocational high school on the outskirts of Paris at the end of last month.

Edang, who was hit in the face with tear gas from just over 2 meters away, reportedly had his jaw broken and many of his teeth damaged.

His lawyer said that Eden is currently suffering from severe psychological shock and is unable to speak or eat properly due to the inability to move his jaw.

According to medical records obtained by the NYT, Eden suffered serious injuries that required at least six weeks of displacement, and it is likely that long-term jaw movement limitations and chronic pain will persist even after treatment.

The police officer who fired tear gas at Edang is currently suspended from his duties and is being investigated by the prosecution.

Edan's lawyer is arguing that the police officer, whose identity has not been disclosed, should be charged with attempted murder.

There are also conflicting statements about the suppression situation. The police officer stated that he believed his fellow police officers were in danger when tear gas was fired, and prosecutors believe that Edan was a member of the protesters.

However, according to the claims of teachers who were at the scene at the time, Edang did not participate in the protest.

On the day of the protest, Eden sent a text message to his mother saying, "The road is blocked. I'm on my way home," and also filmed a video while watching the situation from a parking lot about 50 meters away from the protest site.

Moreover, the high school that Edang attended was a vocational training institution for mainly male students from low-income families, and Edang was a freshman who had entered this school just a few weeks ago.

The incident sparked nationwide outrage in France and sparked more violent protests.

In addition, the NYT reported that French prosecutors and supervisory agencies are investigating at least 34 allegations of police misconduct that occurred during the suppression of protests.

These include an incident in which a 15-year-old boy's left hand was amputated when a police flashbang exploded, and a 16-year-old boy was taken to hospital with an eye injury believed to have been caused by a rubber bullet, the French Interior Ministry said.

NYT pointed out, "The police's actions against teenagers like Edan further united students and citizens across the country and provided them with another reason to protest, which resulted in further worsening of unrest, including looting of stores."

Some point out that excessive repression by French police has been repeated in recent years. In France, during the 'Yellow Vest' movement in 2018-2020, there was a case where a protester lost one eye after being hit by a rubber bullet fired by the police.

Professor Sébastien Rocher of France's National Center for Scientific Research said, "The government's law enforcement methods, which have changed over the past 10 years, are now being applied to teenagers," and urged, "The government must reevaluate the use of these weapons."