Maïssa's Tragedy in France: Lost Her Eye to a Tear Gas Canister in Mulhouse, Demands Justice and Weapon Ban

Three lawmakers from the "La France Insoumise" party, members of the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the events of October 17, received student Maïssa at the French National Assembly on Friday, November 6. The move came after the 18-year-old's life was turned upside down when she lost her left eye on the sidelines of a demonstration in Mulhouse, an injury believed to have been caused by a tear gas canister fired by police forces.

From a Spontaneous Outing to an Unexpected Tragedy

On the afternoon of October 17, Maïssa had not planned to take part in any protest. Instead, she headed to downtown Mulhouse to meet friends, shop, and grab a bite to eat, before finding herself in the midst of a protest gathering. Maïssa described the atmosphere at the time as festive and calm, marked by songs and music, with people in wheelchairs and mothers pushing strollers present, which prompted her and her friends to stay out of curiosity.

However, the scene soon turned into a catastrophe when she sustained a direct and sudden blow without prior notice or any audible warning from security forces. Maïssa explained that she felt sharp pain in her eye, only to discover blood bleeding as soon as she touched her face. She suffered a fracture to the orbital floor and underwent two surgeries—one of which took place on her 18th birthday—ultimately losing her sight permanently in that eye.

Severe Health and Psychological Repercussions

This severe injury led to the suspension of Maïssa's academic studies; she is a first-year university student majoring in Applied Foreign Languages (English and German). She currently suffers from chronic fatigue and recurring migraines, and fears walking freely in the streets of her city or attending any future gatherings out of fear of losing her remaining eye. The young woman emphasizes that she now wishes to make her voice heard to enforce a ban on the use of these projectiles, which she described as weapons that destroy the lives of young people.

Legal Proceedings and Demands for the Suspension of the Officer Responsible

On the legal front, the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) opened an investigation into the incident, one of more than 80 inquiries launched since the start of the high school student movement. Nevertheless, investigators have not yet identified the officer who fired the canister.

The victim's lawyer, Pierre Brunisso, affirmed that the shot was fired directly and in violation of regulatory protocols (tir tendu). He announced an appeal to the Defender of Rights and demanded the immediate administrative suspension of the officer involved. The lawyer criticized the absence of any suspension measures against police officers by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez since the beginning of the student movement, while several lawyers intend to refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the Republic to hold the minister accountable. For her part, Cindy, Maïssa's mother, expressed profound outrage, stressing the necessity of achieving justice and punishing the person responsible to ensure such tragedies are never repeated with others.