Stock finally ran out? France ‘bans’ protester-maiming grenade not manufactured since 2014
January 27, 2020, 11:55 am

Stock finally ran out? France ‘bans’ protester-maiming grenade not manufactured since 2014

FILE PHOTO. French riot police with a tear gas launcher, stand in front of a burning supermarket near the French-German border.

France is finally joining the rest of Europe by withdrawing explosives from its arsenal of crowd control tools. The announced retirement of the protester-maiming GLI-F4 grenade, however, may be due to stocks running out.

The GLI-F4 is a controversial device that the French police and gendarmes consider a weapon of last resort before using live bullets. The 190-gram projectile, which can be thrown by hand or fired from a launcher, contains about 30 grams of the high explosive TNT. When it explodes, it produces a powerful blast, a deafening bang and a cloud of the tear gas CS.

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The blast part is what poses the most danger because it can launch shrapnel and injure a person standing too close. Several protesters lost toes, fingers, and hands to these grenades while others suffered bone fractures, burns, and other serious traumas.

The policy rules are quite strict about how the GLI-F4 should be deployed: a supervisor has to assess the situation before ordering to fire, and the officer launching the grenade has to make sure it lands at a safe distance from the targeted people. In practice, in the chaotic environment of street protest rules are bent and people get hurt.

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So it's welcome news from Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who announced on Sunday that the controversial weapon is finally getting retired. Except the 'ban' is probably more symbolic. The grenade retirement has been years in the making. The producer, Alsetex, stopped making them in 2014.

In May 2018 the French police announced the GLI-F4 was not on their procurement list for restocking grenades. They said at the time they will use up the remaining devices and switch to its intended replacement, the TNT-free GM2L. After Castaner's announcement, the newspaper Liberation asked the cabinet how many GLI-F4s remain in police stock, but did not get an answer. A police union secretary-general called the minister's announcement a PR stunt ahead of the municipal election.

A group of lawyers tried to have the GLI-F4 banned, but their motion was rejected by the Council of State in July 2019.

Ironically, the GLI-F4 was touted as a safer replacement for another Alsetex-made police explosive device, the OF-F1 grenade, which was suspended after one of them killed environment activist Rémi Fraisse during the October 2014 clashes at Sevens Dam.

Its replacement, the GM2L, has been rolled out since early 2018. Critics of French police tactics in dealing with protesters say the new grenade may still be too dangerous. But at least the French government will have less red tape to deal with — since it uses a pyrotechnic compound instead of high explosives, it's not considered a weapon of war and has fewer restrictions on packaging, transportation, and storage.

However, the absence of GLI-F4 in French streets does not mean participating in protests there becomes a safe endeavor. Other policy tools, like the golf ball-sized LBD 40 foam projectiles, have caused serious bodily harm to people.

source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.