François-Xavier Lauch

“The student's life is not in danger,”

François-Xavier Lauch · said 2026-10-05 · reported 2026-10-05

A 15-year-old boy's hand was blown off during unrest near a school in Lens, and the prefect confirmed the student's life was not in danger.

“Instructions were given by the interdepartmental director of the National Police, naturally with my approval, to deploy a company of riot police (CRS) here to maintain order, and it was in this context that this event occurred.”

François-Xavier Lauch · said 2026-10-05 · reported 2026-10-05

Lauch explained that riot police were deployed to maintain order at the school, and it was in that context that the incident occurred.

“At the start of the morning, they threw various projectiles at the local police officers who were on site initially. When I say projectiles, I mean stones, fireworks, and mortars,”

François-Xavier Lauch · said 2026-10-05 · reported 2026-10-05

Lauch described to French media how a larger gathering of students outside the Auguste Béhal high school threw projectiles at local police.