French authorities suspended the use of stun grenades Wednesday after a teenager lost his hand during clashes with police, as demonstrations over school conditions spread to more than 40 cities.
Protesters’ weekslong blockade of schools is the most visible aspect of a multifaceted national crisis, as public workers strike, bond yields rise to multidecade highs, and France’s traditional parties reckon with the far-right.
But one proximate trigger of public discontent may have been overlooked: a ban on phones in schools enforced last month. Following the loss of this “comfort object” — which provides entertainment and connection — the “high school student has opened their eyes to a situation that has suddenly become unbearable,” a French teacher argued in Grand Continent.