Greta Thunberg joins massive French student protests as cars burn, police fire tear gas

Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined student protesters in France on Tuesday after weeks of violent confrontations with police, thousands of arrests and widespread school closures over demands for education reform.

The 23-year-old Swedish activist appeared outside a high school in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, where students were demanding more teachers, better facilities and shorter school days, Reuters reported.

More than 6,800 people have been detained since the protests began in September, according to French authorities. Demonstrators have set fires, erected barricades and confronted riot police in cities across France, although many protests have remained peaceful.

FRANCE EXPLODES AGAIN AS STUDENTS RIOT OVER EDUCATION

Climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks with students outside a high school in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, on Oct. 13, 2026, as nationwide protests over education reform continue. (JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP via Getty Images)

Thunberg, who rose to prominence organizing school strikes over climate change, criticized the French government’s response to the demonstrations.

“We are inspired by the young people who are demanding their basic rights,” Thunberg told reporters, according to Reuters. She also described the police response as “extremely violent.”

About 161,500 people marched across France on Tuesday, including 41,500 in Paris, according to Interior Ministry figures. The Education Ministry said 214 schools were closed.

FRENCH SCHOOL RIOTS DEEPEN AS EXPERTS POINT TO FAR-LEFT ALLIANCE FUELING ‘BROADER CONFRONTATION’

French high school students gather outside the Lycee Voltaire high school as part of nationwide protests to demand the hiring of substitute teachers, increased resources and better learning conditions, in Paris, as more than 400 schools remain closed following days of student protests that have escalated into violence in some places, France, October 2, 2026. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)

President Donald Trump weighed in on the turmoil last week, blaming mass migration rather than complaints about education.

“What’s happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration. This isn’t about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Oct. 6.

The demonstrations have become a political flashpoint ahead of France’s presidential election next May, with far-left presidential hopeful Jean-Luc Mélenchon accusing the government of excessive force against young protesters.

FRANCE IS DEVOURING ITSELF AS SCHOOL RIOTS REVEAL A CRISIS FAR BIGGER THAN BROKEN CLASSROOMS

Greta Thunberg meets with students in Saint-Denis, France, on Oct. 13, 2026, as demonstrations over school conditions and education funding enter their fourth week. (JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP via Getty Images)

Mélenchon joined demonstrators in Paris on Tuesday, while right-wing National Rally leader Marine Le Pen has condemned violence by protesters and called for those responsible for damaging schools to pay for repairs.

The police response has drawn criticism following an incident last week in which a 15-year-old boy lost his hand and part of his lower arm after picking up a police dispersal grenade that detonated during a demonstration in Lens.

French authorities subsequently suspended the use of the type of stun grenade involved in the incident.French President Emmanuel Macron has called for restraint and dialogue as the demonstrations continue.

Students have complained about deteriorating buildings, teacher shortages and school days that can stretch from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has asked ministers to address their demands.Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.

Brittany Miller is a Fox News Digital breaking news writer and former Independent reporter who graduated from Syracuse University in 2023.