Greta Thunberg Joins French High School Protests in Saint-Denis, Amplifying Youth Demands for Education Investment Amid Ongoing Unrest

On October 13, 2026, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg appeared outside the Paul Éluard lycée in Saint-Denis, a working-class suburb north of Paris, to support students protesting dilapidated school buildings, teacher shortages, overcrowding, and insufficient funding. Multiple outlets, including Reuters and Al Jazeera, confirmed her presence at one of the movement's focal points, where she stated that young people are not included in decisions about their future and that "our future is being robbed away from us," linking education neglect to broader crises like climate and social injustice.

The protests, which began in late September, have involved blockades at hundreds of schools nationwide. Interior Ministry figures reported approximately 161,500 participants across France on October 13, including 41,500 in Paris, down from higher numbers the previous week. Students have cited issues such as rat infestations and crumbling infrastructure at schools like Paul Éluard.

While most demonstrations remained peaceful, some involved clashes with police, leading to injuries, arrests (with thousands detained over the period), and criticism of tactics including stun grenades and tear gas. The government suspended certain stun grenades after a 15-year-old lost a hand. Thunberg also condemned police responses as "extremely violent."

French media such as franceinfo and Le Figaro noted the event's symbolic weight, with Thunberg praising the students' mobilization and calling for them to reclaim their rights. The movement has drawn support from unions and left-wing groups, highlighting systemic underinvestment in education while intersecting with Thunberg's established activism on interconnected global issues.

This appearance underscores a pattern of youth-led actions challenging institutional priorities, echoing Thunberg's earlier school strikes but now focused on immediate material conditions in French lycées.