French Lawyers Target Interior Minister Over Protest Police Brutality
Legal action against Laurent Nuñez follows severe injuries sustained by students during recent demonstrations.
1Collective Legal Action Initiated
Lawyers representing at least 18 individuals injured in recent French protests are filing a complaint against Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. The legal team aims to hold the minister accountable for alleged police brutality, specifically targeting his authorization of crowd control weapons that have caused permanent physical mutilations among demonstrators.
2Severe Injuries Reported
Since mid-September, approximately 20 serious injuries have been documented during student and cost-of-living protests. Victims have suffered facial fractures, deep shrapnel wounds, and the loss of hands or eyes. These injuries were reportedly caused by rubber-bullet launchers and grenades deployed by riot police during various high-school blockades and demonstrations.
3Specific Cases of Mutilation
Among the victims is a 16-year-old who lost sight in one eye in Tours on September 30, and a 17-year-old who lost his right hand in Saint-Étienne on October 17. Additionally, a 14-year-old sustained a severe jaw injury after being struck by a projectile from a grenade launcher near Paris.
4Court of Justice Jurisdiction
The complaint will be submitted to the Court of Justice of the Republic, the unique judicial body authorized to prosecute government ministers for offenses committed during their tenure. Lawyers intend to trace the chain of command to determine how specific orders regarding weapon usage were issued and subsequently executed by officers.
5Allegations of Weapon Misuse
Attorney Arie Alimi argues that Nuñez authorized weapons known to cause permanent damage, labeling them as military-grade equipment unsuitable for civilian crowd control. The legal team asserts that these specific tools are not utilized by other European nations, suggesting a disproportionate and dangerous approach to managing public dissent in France.
6Internal Investigation Statistics
As of October 30, authorities had opened 105 internal investigations into police conduct. Of these, 52 relate specifically to the student movement, while 48 concern violence during the October 17 and 18 mass protests. Another five investigations were launched following incidents on October 24, reflecting widespread scrutiny of police tactics.
7Political Context and Unrest
The protests emerged from student demands for better learning conditions but expanded due to broader societal anger over the cost of living. This unrest occurs less than six months before presidential elections, with the far right currently leading in opinion polls, adding significant political pressure to the government's handling of demonstrations.
8Ministerial Admission of Control
Following the intense unrest on October 17, which resulted in over 1,300 arrests, Minister Nuñez admitted that police had lost control of the situation. The upcoming legal proceedings will now focus on whether this loss of control constitutes criminal negligence or intentional violence resulting in mutilation under the minister's direct supervision.