Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg joined thousands of demonstrators in France on Tuesday, October 13, as nationwide student protests intensified over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating school infrastructure.
Thousands marched through central Paris in solidarity with high school students who have been protesting since late September, demanding improvements to the country’s education system. The demonstrations have received support from university students, teachers, labour unions and the far-left opposition party France Unbowed (LFI).
Thunberg, 23, participated in a demonstration outside Paul Eluard high school in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. The activist, who gained international recognition for organizing school strikes demanding climate action, criticized the exclusion of young people from decisions affecting their future.
French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon was also spotted among demonstrators in Paris, where protesters gathered outside city hall to express solidarity with students and condemn allegations of excessive police force.
According to France’s education ministry, 214 schools were closed on Tuesday, most of them high schools. The university student union l’Union Étudiante reported that approximately 90 per cent of universities had shut down in support of the movement.
The demonstrations have spread to several major cities, including Nantes and Strasbourg, where students and educators voiced concerns about inadequate school funding, teacher absences and worsening classroom conditions.
Students have demanded an additional 10 billion euros, approximately US$11 billion, in funding for French high schools. Protesters argue that insufficient investment has contributed to overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating facilities and disruptions caused by teacher shortages.
Although most demonstrations have remained peaceful, tensions between protesters and police have occasionally escalated into violence. France’s justice ministry reported that more than 6,800 people, primarily minors, have been taken into police custody since the protests began.
Authorities have also launched 24 internal investigations into allegations of police brutality. The education ministry reported that 147 teaching staff members have been injured during the unrest.
On Monday, fireworks launched through tubes injured school employees in Reims and a Paris suburb, along with a police officer outside a school in Marseille.
The latest demonstrations follow a major nationwide mobilization last Thursday that drew more than 70,000 participants. Despite the approaching school holidays, students have indicated that they intend to continue protesting until their demands are addressed.
In response to the growing unrest, the French government pledged to deploy approximately 3,000 substitute teachers to 114 high schools experiencing severe staffing shortages. Education officials said Tuesday that 35 per cent of those positions had already been filled.
President Emmanuel Macron has called for restraint and dialogue, emphasizing the importance of consultation and mutual respect in resolving the dispute.
The protests come six months before France’s presidential election to choose Macron’s successor, adding political pressure on the government as dissatisfaction over public services and education funding continues to grow.
Further demonstrations addressing the rising cost of living are scheduled for Saturday, raising the possibility of broader public mobilization across France.
