“We now believe it is imperative to target the person responsible for these mutilations and massive damage, namely Interior Minister Laurent Nunez,” attorney Arie Alimi announced at a Paris press conference, as a legal team representing at least 18 injured demonstrators prepared to file a collective complaint with the Court of Justice of the Republic. The impending litigation targets the French government over severe injuries sustained during high-school student blockades and cost-of-living demonstrations, which have left multiple protesters dealing with amputated hands, facial fractures, and permanent eye damage.
Lawyers Target Interior Minister over Crowd-Control Injuries
- Legal Strategy: Lawyers are filing a collective complaint with the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR)—the sole French judicial body with jurisdiction over sitting government ministers—targeting Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez over orders to use intermediate crowd-control weapons.
- Casualty Toll: AFP tallies show at least 20 serious injuries, including amputations and lost vision, resulting from rubber-bullet launchers and grenades deployed during unrest that intensified around October 17.
- Political Pressure: The lawsuits arrive as France navigates high-stakes political friction less than six months before the presidential election to replace Emmanuel Macron, with far-right parties leading in current opinion polls.
Targeting the Interior Minister at the Court of Justice of the Republic
The legal challenge focuses squarely on the commands issued by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez regarding intermediate crowd-control munitions. According to attorney Arie Alimi, the legal team represents at least 18 individuals who suffered devastating trauma during recent demonstrations. Roughly 10 of these clients have signed on to the collective filing directed at the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR). Alimi stated that potential charges against Nuñez include “intentional violence resulting in mutilation” or “complicity by instigation,” asserting that the minister authorized weapons he knew could cause permanent bodily destruction.
Co-counsel Elsa Marcel noted that the legal team will request specific investigative steps to map out the chain of responsibility within the police hierarchy. Marcel represents a 14-year-old youth who suffered a severe jaw injury after being hit at close range outside a school in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône. Lawyer Yassine Bouzrou has also pursued parallel legal avenues regarding a 17-year-old whose hand was mangled by a grenade explosion in Saint-Étienne on October 17.
Weapons Scrutiny and the Toll of October 17
Public scrutiny has intensified over the operational tactics deployed by French riot police during high-school blockades and broader cost-of-living rallies. An official AFP count confirms that at least 20 people have suffered serious injuries since mid-September. Injuries include deep shrapnel wounds, facial fractures, and lost hands and eyes resulting from rubber-bullet launchers and grenades.
Alimi described the aftermath of October 17—a day marked by arson and looting on the sidelines of peaceful marches—as resembling a wartime infirmary. Among the documented casualties on that date is independent photographer Ahmed Benmezroua, who nearly died after a grenade ruptured an artery in his leg. Other victims include a young engineer who was “on the verge of losing his foot” after a grenade exploded underneath it, a 19-year-old nursing student hit in the eye with a sting-ball grenade, and a 27-year-old who lost an eye in Strasbourg. In Mulhouse, a student named Maissa lost the use of an eye just before turning 18, according to her attorney Pierre Brunisso.
Police Face Internal Brutality Investigations Amid Government Defense
As legal pressure mounts, state authorities face internal accountability metrics alongside the external lawsuits. According to a source close to the case, police had opened 105 internal investigations into allegations of brutality as of October 30. Of those proceedings, 52 were linked to the high school student movement, 48 to violence during mass protests on October 17 and 18, and five to incidents on Oct. 24.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez defended the operational framework governing French law enforcement, stating that every time police officers used force, it was “within a legal and reglementary framework.” While expressing sincere regret for the injuries, Nuñez maintained that “intermediate” crowd-control means, such as grenades and tear gas, were essential for police to carry out their job. This defense follows admissions from the interior ministry after the October 17 unrest—which led to more than 1,300 arrests—that police had “lost control.”
| Incident Category / Date | Reported Injuries & Casualties | Internal Police Investigations |
|---|---|---|
| High-School Student Movement | Teenagers hit by rubber bullets; hand amputated (Saint-Étienne); jaw fractures | 52 investigations (as of Oct 30) |
| Mass Protests (Oct 17 – 18) | Arterial wounds, lost feet, and multiple eye mutilations across Paris, Strasbourg, and Mulhouse | 48 investigations (as of Oct 30) |
| Incidents (Oct 24) | Various blunt-force and shrapnel traumas | 5 investigations (as of Oct 30) |
Alimi acknowledged that the probability of the CJR launching a formal criminal investigation remains low, but maintained that the legal action is necessary to halt further injuries to minors and demonstrators.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
