Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg joined protesting high school students in France on Tuesday as the country prepared for another day of nationwide demonstrations over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and deteriorating school buildings.
“Young people are not being included in the conversation,” Thunberg, 23, who rose to fame as a teenager through school strikes demanding climate action, told reporters outside Lycée Paul Éluard in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis.
As lawyers in their robes formed a human chain to protect students following multiple accusations of police brutality, she added: “Our future is being stolen from us and, as we have seen here, schools are not getting the investment they need.”
Now in their third week, the protests — backed by union members, some teachers, and radical leftwing opposition politicians — have shaken a government caught between demands for urgent public investment and pressure to reduce France’s growing deficit and debt.
Marches across the country drew more than 260,000 protesters last Tuesday and another 75,000 on Thursday, according to interior ministry figures, and are expected to be repeated on Tuesday in several major cities including Paris.
“They’re not listening to us, so we’re going to them,” the university students’ union UE posted on social media. Many of its members are also demonstrating in solidarity, with an estimated 90% of France’s universities disrupted on Tuesday. High schools in Paris, Marseille, and elsewhere were again blockaded.
French authorities had hoped the protests, some of which have led to violent clashes with riot police, would ease and eventually die down during the two-week half-term school holidays starting this weekend.
Education minister Édouard Geffray, who has said 3,000 substitute teachers are being deployed to schools facing the worst staff shortages, said on Tuesday he expected about 200 of the country’s 3,700 high schools to be completely closed.
French media have reported, however, that at least some classes have been cancelled or disrupted in many more schools, and some lycées — for students mostly aged 15 to 18 — have switched entirely or partly to online learning.
President Emmanuel Macron on Monday called for restraint, saying the issues “deserve time, consultations, discussion and respect,” as government figures showed more than 6,800 people — mainly minors — had been detained during the protests.
About 1,500 people are being prosecuted, the justice ministry said, while 24 allegations of police brutality against demonstrators are under investigation. More than 200 teenagers, 100 school staff, and 700 police officers have been injured.
One young protester lost a hand from a police stun grenade, prompting the government to ban their use during the protests, while another lost the use of an eye and a third lost many of his teeth from a teargas canister fired at close range.
Rights groups and students have accused police of using disproportionate force. Six months before a crucial presidential election to replace Macron, rival politicians are jockeying to exploit the protests.
The far-right frontrunner, Marine Le Pen, has highlighted the damage to schools and called for parents to foot repair bills, while her radical-left opponent, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has praised the protesters as “incredible” and denounced police brutality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Greta Thunberg joining the student protest in Paris written in a natural conversational tone
Beginner Questions
What exactly happened
Greta Thunberg the famous teenage climate activist traveled to Paris to join a student protest She marched with hundreds of young people to demand that the French government take stronger action on climate change
Who is Greta Thunberg
She is a Swedish activist who started skipping school in 2018 to protest outside the Swedish parliament Her solo protest sparked a global movement called Fridays for Future
What does the slogan Our future is being stolen mean
It means that young people feel adults and politicians are making decisions that harm the planet leaving the next generation with a damaged world They feel their safety and future are being taken away
Why are students protesting instead of being in school
The students believe the climate crisis is an emergency They argue that if they dont have a safe planet to live on going to school for a future that might not exist doesnt make sense
Where did this protest take place
The specific protest mentioned took place in Paris France The students marched through the streets often near government buildings to make their voices heard
Intermediate Questions
What are the students actually asking for
They are asking governments to stick to the Paris Agreement Specifically they want countries to reduce carbon emissions faster and stop investing in fossil fuels like oil and coal
Did the protest in Paris turn violent
Generally the Fridays for Future school strikes are known for being peaceful While there are sometimes tensions with police at large demonstrations in France the student climate marches are typically organized and nonviolent
How did the French government react
The reaction is usually mixed While some politicians praise the students for their civic engagement others criticize them for skipping school The government often acknowledges the message but argues they are already doing a lot to fight climate change
Why is Paris significant for climate protests
Paris is the home of the 2015 Paris Agreement a major international treaty where nearly every country agreed to limit global warming Protesting there is symbolic because it reminds world leaders of the promises they made in that city
What is Fridays for Future
It is the international movement started by Greta Thun
