Greta Thunberg Stands with French Students Amid Escalating Protests Over Education Reform

Climate activist Greta Thunberg stood alongside French student demonstrators on Tuesday, following weeks of clashes with police, mass arrests, and widespread school shutdowns driven by calls for education reform.

The 23‑year‑old Swedish activist appeared outside a high school in Saint‑Denis, north of Paris, where students were calling for additional teachers, improved facilities, and shorter school days, according to Reuters.

French authorities report that more than 6,800 individuals have been detained since the protests started in September. Demonstrators have ignited fires, built barricades, and faced off with riot police in cities nationwide, even as many demonstrations have stayed peaceful.

FRANCE EXPLODES AGAIN AS STUDENTS RIOT OVER EDUCATION

Climate activist Greta Thunberg conversed with students outside a high school in Saint‑Denis, near Paris, on October 13, 2026, as nationwide protests over education reform continued. (JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP via Getty Images)

Thunberg, who gained prominence through organizing school strikes for climate action, criticized the French government’s handling of the protests.

“We are inspired by the young people demanding their basic rights,” Thunberg told reporters, per Reuters. She also characterized the police response as “extremely violent.”

Interior Ministry figures show that roughly 161,500 people marched across France on Tuesday, with 41,500 in Paris, while the Education Ministry reported that 214 schools were closed.

FRENCH SCHOOL RIOTS DEEPEN AS EXPERTS POINT TO FAR-LEFT ALLIANCE FUELING ‘BROADER CONFRONTATION’

French high school students assembled outside Lycée Voltaire in Paris as part of the nationwide protests, calling for substitute teachers, additional resources, and improved learning conditions. The demonstration occurred on October 2, 2026, while more than 400 schools remained closed after days of protests that have turned violent in certain areas. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)

Last week, former President Donald Trump commented on the unrest, attributing it to mass migration rather than educational grievances.

“What’s happening in France is nothing less than uncontrolled mass migration. This isn’t about schools; it’s about Islam seeking to dominate a once‑great nation,” Trump posted on Truth Social on October 6.

The protests have emerged as a political flashpoint ahead of France’s presidential election next May, with far‑left candidate Jean‑Luc Mélenchon accusing the government of using excessive force against young demonstrators.

FRANCE IS DEVOURING ITSELF AS SCHOOL RIOTS REVEAL A CRISIS FAR BIGGER THAN BROKEN CLASSROOMS

Greta Thunberg met with students in Saint‑Denis, France, on October 13, 2026, as protests over school conditions and education funding entered their fourth week. (JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP via Getty Images)

Mélenchon joined the demonstrators in Paris on Tuesday, while National Rally leader Marine Le Pen condemned the protesters’ violence and demanded that those responsible for school damage cover repair costs.

The police response has drawn criticism after an incident last week in which a 15‑year‑old boy lost his hand and part of his forearm when he picked up a police dispersal grenade that exploded during a demonstration in Lens.

French authorities subsequently suspended the use of that model of stun grenade.

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged restraint and dialogue as the protests persist.

Students have highlighted deteriorating school buildings, teacher shortages, and excessively long school days running from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has instructed ministers to address these concerns.

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