Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg appeared alongside demonstrators in Paris on Tuesday, reinforcing solidarity with French students who have been staging nationwide protests demanding improvements to the education system. Thunberg arrived at Paul Eluard high school in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis, a key location within the ongoing movement.
The unrest began late last month as young people raised concerns about deteriorating school infrastructure, teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and broader systemic issues. In response, students have blocked entrances to hundreds of schools across the country using bins and security barriers.
“Young people are not being included in the conversation. Our future is being robbed away from us,” Thunberg told AFP. Legal professionals dressed in robes formed human chains around the teenagers to provide protection following numerous reports of police brutality during earlier demonstrations.
Tuesday’s action, supported by trade unions and the left-wing France Unbowed party, featured marches through Paris and other urban centers. The university student union l’Union announced on the social media platform X: “They’re not listening to us, so we’re going to them.”
Education Minister Edouard Geffray indicated that approximately 200 schools remained closed, a decrease from the previous week. He noted that some institutions near protest routes were shutting down specifically to prevent property damage. Additionally, the Ministry of National Education reported that eight teaching staff members were injured on Monday, primarily in the Paris, Bordeaux, and Lyon areas.
Leo, a 19-year-old graphic design student in Paris, expressed frustration that students’ proposals are being ignored by elected officials. He highlighted that many protesters are minors and described the current level of police repression as unprecedented for a student movement.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged participants to exercise restraint while speaking at a car show on Monday. “These are issues that deserve time, consultations, discussion and respect,” he said.
According to the Ministry of Justice, more than 6,800 individuals, predominantly minors, have been taken into custody since the protests began. Authorities have also launched investigations into 24 allegations of brutality against demonstrators.
Wider public rallies against the rising cost of living are scheduled for Saturday, expected to follow the student demonstrations.
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