French interior minister allows stun grenades in severe unrest on October 17

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said police could use stun grenades in exceptionally serious unrest during demonstrations on October 17.

Speaking on France 2 on October 16, Nunez said police and gendarmes confronting severe violence should have access to their available equipment, including tear gas and less-lethal projectile launchers.

Earlier in October, he suspended stun grenade use in the high school protest movement. He announced the restriction on RTL on October 7 after a teenager suffered a serious hand injury in Lens.

Nunez tied possible grenade use on October 17 to serious urban unrest on the margins of marches or elsewhere.

In remarks reported by Public Senat, the minister separately stressed that Saturday's actions belonged to a different movement from the school protests covered by the restriction.