Greta Thunberg joined student protesters outside a high school in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on Tuesday, as demonstrations over education conditions continued across France, according to the source report citing Reuters.
Students have called for more teachers, improved school facilities and shorter school days. Thunberg, a Swedish climate activist known for organizing school strikes, told reporters that young people were demanding basic rights and characterized the police response as extremely violent, Reuters reported.
French Interior Ministry figures cited in the report put Tuesday’s protest turnout at about 161,500 people nationwide, including 41,500 in Paris. The Education Ministry said 214 schools were closed. French authorities have reported more than 6,800 detentions since protests began in September. Demonstrations have included fires, barricades and clashes with riot police, though the report said many gatherings have been peaceful.
Police tactics have faced scrutiny after a 15-year-old boy was seriously injured when a police dispersal grenade detonated after he picked it up during a demonstration in Lens last week. Authorities suspended use of the type of grenade involved, according to the report.
The protests have become a political issue ahead of France’s presidential election next May. President Emmanuel Macron has urged restraint and dialogue, while Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has asked ministers to respond to students’ concerns. Political figures have offered differing assessments of the unrest: Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused the government of excessive force, while National Rally leader Marine Le Pen condemned protest-related damage and called for those responsible to pay for repairs.
The account also cited a statement by U.S. President Donald Trump, posted on Oct. 6, attributing the French turmoil to mass migration. That claim is presented as his political characterization; the report describes the demonstrations as centered on education demands.
