Tear Gas Fired Right After "Mom, I'm Heading Home": A Turning Point That Escalated Paris Protests?

Analyses suggest that police overreach in the early stages of the recent protests across France contributed to the intensification of the unrest.

According to footage verified by The New York Times, French police fired a tear gas canister directly at the face of 14-year-old Edane while dispersing a protest at a vocational high school in a Paris suburb late last month.

Edane, who was struck in the face by the tear gas canister from a distance of barely 2 meters, reportedly suffered a fractured jaw and the loss of numerous teeth.

Medical records obtained by The New York Times indicate that Edane sustained severe injuries requiring at least six weeks of recovery, and is expected to face long-term jaw movement limitations and chronic pain even after treatment.

The police officer who fired the tear gas canister at Edane has been suspended from duty and is currently under investigation by prosecutors.

Accounts of the incident differ between the officer involved and Edane's side.

The officer stated, "I believed a fellow police officer was in danger at the time," while French prosecutors maintain that Edane was part of the protest crowd.

However, a teacher who was present at the scene argued that Edane did not participate in the demonstration.

Notably, on the day of the protest, Edane sent a text message to his mother saying, "The roads are blocked and I'm on my way home," and was reportedly seen watching the situation and taking a video from a parking lot about 50 meters away from the protest site.

The New York Times reported that French prosecutors and oversight bodies are currently investigating at least 34 cases of alleged police misconduct during the crackdown on the demonstrations.

These cases include an incident where a 15-year-old boy's left hand was amputated due to a police flash-bang explosion, and another where a 16-year-old boy suffered an eye injury after being struck by a rubber bullet.

The New York Times pointed out that the police's excessive use of force against teenagers in the early phase of the protests rallied students and citizens nationwide, providing them with further justification to demonstrate, which ultimately worsened the unrest, including incidents of store looting.

Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Lee Ui-seon | Design by Lee Jeong-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.