French Justice Drops Charges Over Gendarme Violence at Sainte-Soline Protest but Opens Inquiry into Grenade Use

On December 4, 2025, the Rennes prosecutor's office announced it has decided to drop charges related to the violence inflicted by gendarmes on four protesters seriously injured during a demonstration on March 25, 2023, in Sainte-Soline, Deux-Sèvres. This protest was against the construction of a new agricultural water reservoir. Despite closing the case concerning the injuries, judicial investigations continue regarding the gendarmes' use of "non-compliant" grenades during the event.

Prosecutor Frédéric Teillet highlighted the complexity in legally defining the use of these grenades but indicated that such actions could potentially be classified as voluntary violence. Consequently, a judicial inquiry has been opened before an investigating judge to further examine the circumstances surrounding these so-called "tirs tendus" — direct grenade firings. This follows video evidence made public by media outlets Libération and Mediapart, which showed tense grenade shots during the protest.

The inquiry's scope is noted to be narrowly focused on the grenade launches rather than the overall violence of the protest. The prosecutor indicated the ongoing probe aims to clarify the legality and potential criminality of the grenade use while emphasizing that no prosecutions will proceed concerning the initial complaints about gendarme violence causing injuries.

This judicial development reflects a nuanced approach by French authorities to address law enforcement conduct during public demonstrations, balancing the dismissal of certain complaints with a commitment to investigating specific potentially unlawful uses of force.