Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined student demonstrators in France on Tuesday, as weeks of clashes with police, more than 6,800 arrests and widespread school closures intensified a nationwide campaign for education reform.
The 23-year-old Swedish activist met students outside a high school in Saint-Denis, north of Paris. The protesters are calling for more teachers, improved facilities and shorter school days, Reuters reported.
French authorities said more than 6,800 people have been detained since the demonstrations began in September. Protesters have set fires, built barricades and clashed with riot police in cities across the country, though many gatherings have remained peaceful.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks with students outside a high school in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, on Oct. 13, 2026, as nationwide protests over education reform continue. (JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP via Getty Images)
Thunberg, who became internationally known through school strikes focused on climate change, condemned the French government’s handling of the protests.
“We are inspired by the young people who are demanding their basic rights,” Thunberg told reporters, according to Reuters. She called the police response “extremely violent.”
The Interior Ministry said about 161,500 people took part in marches across France on Tuesday, including 41,500 in Paris. The Education Ministry reported that 214 schools were closed.
French high school students gather outside the Lycee Voltaire high school as part of nationwide protests to demand the hiring of substitute teachers, increased resources and better learning conditions, in Paris, as more than 400 schools remain closed following days of student protests that have escalated into violence in some places, France, October 2, 2026. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Breaking Bad Star RJ Mitte’s Little-Known Australia Connection Revealed
President Donald Trump addressed the unrest last week, attributing it to mass migration rather than dissatisfaction with France’s education system.
“What’s happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration. This isn’t about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Oct. 6.
The protests have emerged as a major political flashpoint ahead of France’s presidential election next May. Far-left presidential contender Jean-Luc Mélenchon has accused the government of using excessive force against young demonstrators.
Greta Thunberg meets with students in Saint-Denis, France, on Oct. 13, 2026, as demonstrations over school conditions and education funding enter their fourth week. (JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP via Getty Images)
Mélenchon appeared alongside protesters in Paris on Tuesday. Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing National Rally, has denounced the violence and said those who damage schools should cover the cost of repairs.
The police response has faced growing scrutiny after a 15-year-old boy lost his hand and part of his lower arm last week. The injuries occurred when he picked up a police dispersal grenade that exploded during a demonstration in Lens.
Following the incident, French authorities suspended the use of the type of stun grenade involved.
French President Emmanuel Macron has urged protesters and authorities to show restraint and pursue dialogue as the demonstrations continue.