French fire fighters, with their jacket sleeves covering up their right hands, stand behind a banner.....
French fire fighters, with their jacket sleeves covering up their right hands, stand behind a banner which reads 'Support for Edouard' in Lille, January 29, 2001. The firemen cover their right hands to symbolize the hand lost by colleague [Sergent Edouard Walcsak] who picked up a grenade which exploded during clashes last Thursday with riot police. Some 1000 firemen gathered in front of the Lille prefecture to protest the use of an offensive grenade by the riot police during a demonstration over working condiditons and retirement benefits.